Ignite
by WeAllBreakTheSame
Summary: Aro has raised Bella in Volterra since she was seven. Now, at almost two hundred years old, she meets the Cullens. And she captures the attention of one specific Cullen. What could possibly go wrong? Perhaps happy endings don't come so fast, and there is more to Bella then she recalls. Now complete!
1. The Cullens

**A/N - Yay! Welcome to my first chaptered FanFic! I am going to try very hard to complete this story and post regularly. I already have a few chapters written, so as long as people seem interested, I shall keep going. ****I've changed a little bit of the characters personalities, which I'm sure you'll pick up on.  
Summary: Aro has raised Bella in Volterra since she was seven. Now, at almost two hundred years old, she meets the Cullens. And she captures the attention of one specific Cullen. What could possibly go wrong?  
Disclaimer: I give all credit towards Stephanie Meyer for writing these lovely amazing characters. **

Someone knocked on my door, "Bella?" Felix called in.

"Yeah, Felix?"

"You're dad wants to see you."

_Ugh, that man._

Felix saw the annoyance on my face, "Well… not just you, it's sort of a meeting of the guard, but it's mostly for you."

I got up from my bed – obviously not there for sleeping purposes – and grabbed my black cloak.

"So, you're here to escort me down?" I raised my eyebrows, smirking.

He held out his arm, "As you wish, Bella."

Felix and I had a flirty relationship, my dad didn't exactly approve of it, but Felix was protective of me; which my dad liked. It's much more entertaining the relationship he tried to force upon Alec and I. _That_ was horrible. Alec's my best friend's brother; he's practically _my _brother.

Alec found me abandoned in Volterra when I was seven. He was about to kill me but noticed his talent didn't work. He took me back to Aro, who then raised me in the Volturi castle with the hope of turning me and having another talent on his side. Felix would tell me of their stories and when I was fourteen I was told they were all true. I don't remember much of my human life now. He turned me one hundred and eighty-three years ago, when I was seventeen and I came out with the talent of a mind shield. The guard's physical shield, Renata, taught me how to make it radiate out of just my mind and cover the whole guard. It comes in use quite a lot.

Throughout my years of being with my dad, I've developed a habit of being able to let him see into my brain with his power. I can usually feel someone else's power pressing up against my shield, and I can decide whether or not to let it through. I used to have to take my shield off all together, but it wasn't very safe so we kept trying to develop it.

I was known around the Vampire world for doing my dad's business for him. He'd send me out when he couldn't make it, and I did the job for him. I can't say I mind though; I'd hate him if I missed a good fight.

When we reached the throne room, I strode over to my dad, and kissed his cheek.

"You may stand beside Jane for this meeting," he grabbed my arm to stop me before I could stand at his side.

I gave him a questioning look, but went beside Jane anyways.

"That man, I swear," I mumbled under my breath, as I linked arms with Jane.

She giggled as my dad shot me an 'I heard that' look.

He stood up.

"As I'm sure most of you may know the Cullen's are coming to visit us today! As always, I would like you all to be as kind as possible," he shot a look to Jane, "we know the Cullen's are very old friends, and we are kind no matter how big their coven has grown."

Dad made it very clear that he didn't enjoy the size of their coven. But their leader, Carlisle, was a very good friend of his.

Not that I would know. Dad thought the Cullen's would be a bad influence. But that's the most extent he gone into explaining it.

"So I actually get to meet them?" I gasped sarcastically.

Guard members don't talk to Dad like that, but considering I'm his daughter, and he raised me; I was an exception to this unspoken rule.

He ignored the sarcasm.

"Now Bella, they're a little… different." He hesitated, "they live off animal blood, and they associate themselves with humans on a day to day basis. They don't isolate themselves like most of us do."

I felt my mouth fall open and quickly closed it. That was just… unnatural. What kind of vampire tortures themselves like that?

"How do you even…?" I trailed off not sure what else to say.

He sighed. "I'm glad you think that. They just believe in preserving human life. So while they're here for the week, we will respect them, and not feed for the week."

A chorus of "WHAT?!" filled the room.

"But dad, Jane and I were going to help Heidi this week!"

"Sir, please tell me we're at least feeding before they get here," Felix hadn't fed in a while. Last week he was taking care of some business for Dad.

"Don't worry everyone! Heidi should be back soon and we will feed before they arrive."

A sigh of relief filled the room. Many of us don't feed every time a batch comes in.

"Dad!"

"Bella, you and Jane are just going to have to wait. You will respect the Cullens as they respect us. "

I just growled at him, knowing I couldn't change his mind on this one.

I usually get my way in the Volturi castle. I knew Dad never really changed his mind, but I couldn't help but be a daddy's girl. Heidi always tells me that I'm the only person she's seen him change his mind for. I'm not his biological daughter, but he has raised me since I was seven.

He addressed the whole room again, "You may come back down when you smell them."

As everyone started leaving the room I went to talk to my dad.

"Why do you talk about them like you're almost intimidated? Dad, there's only seven of them."

"And three of them of talents; one can conflict emotions, one can read current thoughts from a distance, and one can see the future. If that doesn't sound like a threat to you as it does to me, then I haven't raised you very well."

I was shocked, how could people have the guts to stay together as a coven with such talents.

"How? Why haven't you threatened them yet? Dad, we could do it, we have me! I can block them."

"Because I've known Carlisle for a very long time, and they wouldn't go down very easily."

"I can't say I wouldn't enjoy that, we haven't had a good fight in a while," being on a guard with power like ours had its drawbacks; people gave mercy quickly, and we can't exactly kill _each other_.

"Like I said; you'll respect them. And I wouldn't worry too much, I've asked Heidi to bring some extras, just to be a little stronger than usual."

As if on cue, I heard the front doors to the castle open. It was feeding time.

Everyone gathered into the throne room and Dad gave is usual speech as the humans took silly pictures and I silently locked the throne room doors.

I chose my first victim and tore as his collarbone; the closer to the heart you feed, the warmer the blood is. He wasn't very good, and I could tell he was a smoker; I could taste it as I drank. The second was much better; she seemed to live a healthier life-style, and it tasted much better and soothed the burn in my throat.

As we finished, I heard the elevator doors slide open a few floors up; They were early.

"Well, look at the timing, how perfect it is to be early," I mumbled sarcastically.

"Bella," my dad shot me a warning look.

We quickly cleaned up, grabbed our cloaks and took our places.

Felix went out to greet them and brought them into the throne room.

I was surprised to see them paired up with their mates; well… all but one.

But what shocked me the most was their strange eyes, rather than red they were a weird gold colour.

"Ahh, Carlisle and family!"

_Family? _ I mean, I consider myself Aro's daughter but, it was weird.

I put my hand on his shoulder to let him know how confused I was. He gave me an understanding look as he got up from his chair to embrace Carlisle.

The rest of them carefully eyed Jane and she smirked back, when they looked away she and I rolled our eyes at each other.

"I see you're all doing well, welcome back to Volterra!"

"It's good to see you're all doing well also, Aro," Carlisle greeted.

"I'd like you all to meet Bella," Dad reached his hand back asking me to come forward, "you've heard of my daughter."

Carlisle reached out to shake my hand, "it's very nice to meet you Bella, after all this time."

"It's nice to meet you too Carlisle, and your cov- family." I forced out a smile.

Dad noticed my slip up, and I briefly touched him as a sorry. But since when do people call their covens 'family' unless they're the Volturi?

Carlisle introduced the women by his side as Esme, the pixie-like girl as Alice, and her mate as Jasper. The large, muscular male was Emmett and the beautiful blonde, his mate, was Rosalie, and then the boy with the bronze hair as Edward.

"But Carlisle, you're forgetting the most important part! Jasper can change emotions, Alice can see the future, and Edward can read minds; but very differently from me. He can read your current thoughts without physical connection." He had this look on his face, something I didn't see very often – my dad was jealous.

When my dad said 'Edward' his head finally came up, he'd been looking at the ground when he came in; his eyes shot towards me and made me feel very uncomfortable

I stood a little taller, not letting my discomfort show.

"Aro, I would trade any day. It doesn't have an off button like yours."

Edward kept staring at me, and suddenly Dad shifted beside me and Felix was at my side, staring back at Edward.

His conversation with Carlisle trailed off, "Felix, would you like to show the Cullens to their rooms?"

Felix nodded and strode out the throne room, asking them to follow.

I shivered after they left; my moves no longer being watched by a Cullen.

Dad took my hand off his wrist; I hadn't even noticed I put it there.

"Sorry."

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"Yes I'm fine. He just made me uncomfortable."

"I'll have Felix make sure he's more careful."

"Thanks, I'm going for a walk."

"Just stay in the castle."

I knew this castle like the back of my hand; every secret passage, secret room; even the rooftop garden.

I usually just stick to a route around the guard wing of rooms. Today I decided to change it up and go into some other wings.

Bad idea.

I was just about to turn into the guest hallway when I heard the Cullen's discussing something. I took a quick peek to see Edward and Emmett.

"I don't get it, how can I not hear her?" Edward noticed my shield.

"I don't man, but you were staring at her enough." Emmett snickered.

"Yeah, Felix _warned_ me."

"Warned you? About what?"

"Bella, I guess."

"I guess she's got a whole team behind her, even Aro would change his mind for her, did you hear them after we left the throne room?"

"No, but I heard Aro's thoughts. He really seems like he would do anything for her."

"It's hard to think he would even raise someone. I mean, this is _Aro_ we're talking about."

I decided to cut in then. To make my appearance, I put my shield over Emmett.

"Uhh, Emmett…?" Edward started to ask him why he couldn't hear his thoughts anymore.

I started down the hallway and cut them off before Emmett could say anything.

"I heard you noticed my shield, Edward. I'm surprised you didn't already know; Dad likes to brag."

I stopped in front of them.

"Actually, none of us had any idea you had a talent," Emmett said.

"Really?"

"Bella!" Felix called from behind me.

_What did my dad want now?_

I turned around, and snapped my shield back from Emmett. Felix looked stressed; which was very rare.

"What is it Felix? Calm down."

"You need to come with me, _now._"

**A/N - ready, set, REVIEW :) **


	2. A Beautiful Mind

**A/N - Welcome to the second chapter of ignite! I'm so happy this got so much positive feedback, I _really_ appreciate it. So, instead of studying for finals I'm posting the second chapter and in the process of writing the seventh; I know, I know, I should just post them all now. But if I keep them all and post consistently y'all will be much happier. **

**Disclaimer - as always, Stephanie Meyer own these lovely characters. I'm simply borrowing them!**

I followed Felix into the guard's wing of the castle.

"Did Aro not tell you?"

"Tell me what?"

"He didn't want the Cullens to know about your talent in case we'd have to fight them one day."

I just looked at him, confused for a second. Then it clicked; if they didn't know we'd have them by surprise.

"It's not like it makes a difference anyways. They were bound to find out some time."

"Aro is literally going to have my head off."

"Felix, don't worry about it, okay? I already look like I'm on duty and I'm not." I looked down at the cloak still on my shoulders. "I'll talk to him."

"Don't put it off, do it now."

"Would you rather your head off or me clawing your skull open? Don't tell me what to do," I threatened.

"Just… do something about this," he said, walking away.

I went to the end of the hallway and knocked on my dad's door.

"Dad? It's me."

"Come in!"

This is literally something only I'd be able to do. Not even Caius could just walk into my dad's room.

I walked in and shut the door behind me. Dad was at his desk reading some old book.

"Why didn't you tell me I wasn't supposed to tell the Cullens about my shield?"

He looked up from his book and muttered 'damn it' under his breath.

"Sorry, I didn't know. I saw them in the hallway and Edward was wondering about why he couldn't hear me so I told him. Then Felix was practically hysterical telling me you didn't want them knowing. Just… don't punish Felix; it's not his fault I didn't know."

"It's okay Bella." He was weirdly calm about it. "Why don't you organize a guard fight training meeting in the throne room? And invite the Cullens?"

I could see where he was getting now… we were just going to have to intimidate them.

"Would you like to come too, Dad?" I asked. I hadn't fought him in a while… a _really_ long time actually.

He hesitated but I gave him the puppy dog eyes and he caved. "Okay."

"Yay! I'll get Demetri to round everyone up!"

I was just about to leave when he stopped me, "I would like you to invite the Cullens yourself, Bella. Don't force it upon them, just invite them."

I growled, "Fine."

I ran down the hall and knocked on Demetri's door.

"Demetri! Dad's letting us fight!"

Suddenly the door burst open; Demetri looked like a kid in a candy store, "Really? I'll get everyone."

"He wants me to personally invite the Cullens," I rolled my eyes.

Demetri scoffed, "Why?"

"Because I may have accidently told them about my shield."

His eyes glowed with excitement. "Oh," he said, understanding immediately what was going on, "I'll let everyone know then."

As I skipped down the hall to the guest wing I heard Demetri yelling in the guard hall that Dad was letting us fight. He was then startled by Dad coming out of his room down the hall and telling Demetri that wasn't exactly the 'rounding-up' he had in mind.

I went into the guest hall and heard all the Cullens in the same room, which was helpful so I didn't have to knock on four separate doors.

Carlisle answered the door, "Bella, it's nice to see you."

"Hello Carlisle. My dad and I would like to invite you to come down the throne room. We usually have guard meetings where… well basically he's letting us fight; to keep us conditioned and all."

"Well," he opened the door all the way and I saw all the Cullens gathered together. Carlisle turned his head to them, "What do you guys say?"

Emmett gave a quick, "Hell yes!"

Carlisle laughed and turned back to me, "We'll be down soon."

With that he closed the door.

As I made my way down to throne room, I was excited to be able to fight, the guard hadn't in a while and we were getting restless.

We didn't have to wait long for the Cullens to get there.

"Maybe they're just as antsy as us," I muttered to Jane beside me.

"Unfortunately for them, we don't have a 'no powers' rule," she whispered back.

Demetri was eager to go first and picked Felix to fight with him. Just as Demetri had Felix's head, Felix grabbed his torso and flung him to the ground and I saw his torso start to rip. Then he hit the ground and Felix dug his foot into Demetri's stomach and his teeth were at his neck.

"Nicely done, Felix," Dad exclaimed. He hadn't watched us do this in years.

"Let's go Bella; time for a re-match!" Felix pointed at me to fight with him next.

"I wouldn't underestimate me again, remember what happened last time?" I raised my eyebrows, remembering the time Felix ended up as my personal errand runner for a week.

I went to stand a few feet across the room from him.

"Place your bets now folks!"Heidi joked.

We circled each other until I lunged at him, which then got me thrown at the wall. As soon as I hit the ground I was lifted back up, Felix holding me by my neck.

"What are you gonna do now… Isabella?"

Felix liked to call me my full name just to get under my skin.

"Do you want me to kiss you or kill you?" I flirted.

He grinned and it gave me just enough time to kick him with all my strength across the room. His hand let go of me and I fell. I sped towards him before he could hit the ground and forced him into the floor by his neck; breaking the tile.

He grabbed my arm and held it as tight as he could; causing me to wince in pain and let go. Then he took my arm, spun me and held it in an uncomfortable position behind my back.

"You just lost an arm," he grinned.

"Well you haven't ripped it off yet."

I used my free hand to reach back and grab his neck and flung him forward to the ground in front of me. I sped around to stand on top of his arms and put my hands on either side of his and started to pull enough to make it hurt (not enough to rip it off).

"You just lost a head," I said, kissing his cheek.

I let him go and he sighed in relief.

"You owe me a round without powers," Demetri whispered to Alec.

My dad came up behind me, "Well done Bella. But you know I have to replace to tile _again_ now."

"It's not my fault Felix is so heavy!" I countered. "Who's next?" I asked the room.

I got no reply. Then I had an idea. When was the last time anyone saw my dad fight?

"Daddy?" I said in my sweetest voice and turned to look at him.

The room filled with laughter.

He looked at me for a second and finally said, "Okay."

Everyone cheered on who they thought would win as they watched Dad and I. I wasn't expecting to win; he had me pinned in about 35 seconds.

"Would you like to pick someone to fight next, Dad?"

"I think I'll sit the rest of this out," he chuckled. Then I saw a sudden glint in his eye.

He turned his head to where the Cullen were standing, "Edward, why don't you and Bella go next?"

What on Earth was that man thinking? Edward _Cullen_ was the last person I wanted to do this with.

I looked over at Felix who didn't look very pleased.

"It would be a pleasure, Aro."

Edward took a place a few feet away from me, as Felix and I did.

Edward lunged at me first and I decided to go for the gut and kicked him across the room. I let him fall to the ground and come running back to me. This time I stopped him from advancing by blocking him with the side of my arm. As I went to knock my other fist into his head he blocked it with his arm.

Then he caught me off guard and swung his leg to knock over mine; I hit the hard ground on my back and felt the tile crack beneath my head. I quickly jumped to my feet and launched at him but he threw me over his head; expecting me to crash into the wall again. Instead, I landed perfectly on my feet and charged back at him.

Our bodies smashed together and we both flew into the opposite wall. My hands went to his shoulders and his arms wrapped protectively around my waist as we crash to the ground with him on top of me.

It was like I was in a different world as he kept looking into my eyes like he could see my soul. I couldn't concentrate properly as his hands still gripped me around the waist. There was electricity running between us a mile a minute.

We could have laid there for years, or seconds; but when I came back to reality I used the distraction to my advantage and quickly rolled us over. With our eyes still connected I stood on his arms as I did to Felix and gripped his head between my hands.

"You're dead," I said using almost no voice at all.

He looked at me and then closed his eyes and chuckled, finally letting my gaze go. I got up off of him and looked at the room around us.

"You've got quite the fighter there, Aro," Edward commented, looking at me again.

I looked toward Felix, giving him a get-me-out-of-here look.

"Jane dear!" Felix went into the middle of the room, "I've been practicing!"

Out of habit, I put up my shield to everyone but Jane and Felix – because Jane could get carried away sometimes – and went to stand beside Alec.

"Please tell me that didn't last long," I whispered so only he could hear me.

"What_ ever_ are you talking about Bella?" he whispered back sarcastically.

I elbowed him hard in the gut, and he let out a grunt.

"That's for betting against me; you know what I'm talking about!"

"It wasn't that long… just long enough for everyone in the room to notice."

_Great_, I sighed.

I didn't even know what went on; it was strange, something I'd never experience before. I wondered about Edward's power, and if it might be more than reading minds.

Felix's screams brought me out of my thoughts and my immediate reaction was to pull my shield over him too.

He sighed in relief, and Jane laughed.

"Get some more practice, bud; Bella isn't always here to save you." She patted his head, and sauntered back over to where Alec and I were standing.

Dad proceeded to actually give the Cullens a chance to fight and let Jasper and Emmett have a turn.

"So," Jane looked at me, waiting; probably for me to say something about what just happened.

"Yes?" I looked back to her.

She raised her eyebrows and kept waiting for me to say something, but I just ignored her.

After Jasper beat Emmett, we watched a few others fight, and retired to our rooms for the night.

I don't know how on Earth I spent the whole rest of the night thinking about Edward; but I did.

When I looked into his gold eyes it was almost as if I could see his too. And, if it was even possible to do so, he looked right back at me the same way. Almost as if…

_No_, I thought, _that's not even possible; how could I let myself do that?!_

It was almost as if he was reading my mind.

I was so stupid! I'd never let anyone let their powers get through unless they were my dad; ever!

For the first time in my vampire life I felt claustrophobic in a giant room; like I was unnecessarily suffocating.

I jumped off my bed, ran to the rooftop garden and sat on the bench we had on the edge of the roof. It was around six in the morning and the sun was mid-rise in the sky. I looked down to see my skin sparkle.

That was my favourite part about the garden; you could easily enjoy the sun without humans seeing you. Plus, it was the best place to get fresh air. The garden looked down onto the nearby forest, so you could see all the tree tops.

I felt panicked, confused. Honestly, I just felt like crying. My eyes felt pricked with tears, but I knew I just imagined them; the tears that would never fall.

I heard footsteps behind me and turned to see my dad. I felt anger. Why would he even think to put me up against Edward? I turned back towards to trees, pulling my knees up against my chest.

"Are you alright, Bella?" he sat down on the bench beside me.

"Do I look alright?" I snapped.

He just looked at me, waiting for me to elaborate.

"Why do I always have to explain myself?!" I yelled in annoyance. First Jane and now my dad? "Why is everyone on my back? Just leave me _alone!_"

I stood up off the bench and stormed off.

As I made my way through the hallways of the Castle, I bumped into a figure.

"Oh! I'm sorry, I-"

I looked up at the face of Edward Cullen himself, and became even angrier.

I got straight to the point.

"What did you see?"

He looked at me, confused.

"In the throne room? When you landed on top of me? I don't know how you did it, Edward Cullen, but you got into my head. And I wanna know if you found what you were looking for."

He sighed, "You're the one that let me in. I wanted to know what you were thinking and then I could hear you."

"Yeah? And what did you find?"

"Bella!" I heard Demetri calling me.

I turned to leave in the other direction and Edward grabbed my arm to look at him. He pulled me up against him and whispered in my ear.

"You have a beautiful mind, Bella."

Suddenly I felt warm inside.

"Bella!" Demetri kept calling.

I turned away from Edward just as Demetri found me.

"Bella! We have a situation in the throne room. Grab your cloak."

"Do I _always_ have to do his dirty work?" I said, trying to sound exasperated. When, right now, I wasn't at all.

"It's not exactly that," Demetri hesitated; Edward was still standing behind me.

That's when I heard the commotion downstairs. Above it all, I heard a child crying.

I sighed, "You've got to be _kidding_ me." I grabbed a cloak out of a nearby closet; it wasn't mine, but it was the same colour. "Does no one listen to rules anymore?"

I started off with Demetri then remembered Edward still standing in the hallway.

I shouted back to him, "Don't let your family come downstairs!"

**So, what'd ya think? Leave me a review and let me know! I know, it's another cliffy. And I'm gonna be honest; whatever is in the next chapter is a much better follow-up to this cliff than the last. So get excited! **

**P.S. if you feel like you're seeing unnecessary U's... I'm Canadian. **


	3. Saint or Sinner

**Disclaimer: all characters belong Stephanie Meyer, I just like to borrow them :) **

We ran down to the throne room to see my dad on his throne and a coven to the side. The screaming child sat in the middle, facing my dad.

"I swear to you! He's half human!" one of the women in the coven yelled over his screams.

I joined my dad's side.

"I wouldn't recommend lying to the Volturi! We've seen half breeds before!" Caius warned.

"And this certainly isn't one," I added.

I looked to my dad and he nodded.

I walked up to the screaming child and ripped it's head off. While the women screamed. Felix lit a fire and I threw the beheaded child in.

The women kept screaming as Dad approached her, the two other members of her coven dryly sobbing behind her.

"Who created this child?"

The woman was quiet and looked down; not answering.

I knew what was about to happen and threw my shield around the guard. She screamed again, and fell to her knees from Jane's power.

"Someone shut her up, I never knew it was possible to get a headache as a vampire," I muttered.

Felix started charging at her but Dad held up a hand to stop him.

"Tell me, who created the child?" Dad asked again; holding out his hand.

She hesitated, but took it.

We watched Dad's other hand flick upwards, and she was soon in the fire too.

The room finally calmed down and Demetri lead the two others in the coven out to the waiting area for them to stay until sun down.

As I was leaving the throne room I heard faint noises from above. I looked up to the small vent and remembered the secret room up there.

When I first turned, I was too young of a vampire to join the guard so I would hide up there and watch the meetings of the guard. It all interested me so much. I would write in a journal about the things I saw, and what I hoped to accomplish one day. I remembered the little memories I would collect up in a box up there.

I hadn't been up there in over one hundred years; I never thought someone would find it.

Ignoring what my dad was telling everyone, I left the throne room and made my way to the top floor of the castle. I went to the end of the hall and opened the unnoticeable passageway on the wall by hitting the latch on the stain glass window.

The passageway simply looked like a panel in the wall for electricity. The only way someone would accidently find it was if they were leaning on the window.

The panel opened and I made my way inside the tiny hallway, with the panel closing behind me. At the end of the unlit hallway was a staircase. As I made my way up the staircase I smelled a very familiar scent.

I came to the end of the staircase and looked at the room in front of me – remembering it being much bigger – to find Edward Cullen looking through a vent that looked down into the throne room.

"Enjoying yourself?" I asked quietly, taking a seat across from him to see into the room myself.

He nodded, not looking at me or saying anything.

I listened into what they were discussing, and it wasn't laws anymore. They were discussing _me._

"She's been acting very different Jane," Dad told Jane.

"I've noticed, Aro. But she really hasn't said anything different, she's just reacting to things differently."

"Felix? You and Bella are close, has she said anything out of the ordinary?"

Felix looked worried, "No, sir."

"Demetri? Heidi?" My dad was very obviously worried.

They both shook their heads.

He sighed and dismissed everyone.

Edward and I sat in silence as we watched the room become empty.

"How long have you been up here?" I asked wearily, remembering the scene that happened down there not very long ago.

His golden eyes looked up to meet mine, "Long enough to see you decapitate an immortal child." Disgust leaked through his voice. I remembered what my dad told me, about the Cullens drinking animal blood, associating with humans daily, not being isolated.

"It's my job, Edward," I told him apologetically.

I knew he saw the apology not reach my eyes though; this is what the Volturi did, we kept vampires safe from the bad choices of other vampires. I wasn't going to apologize for not having some sense of 'vampire humanity.'

"Does being around humans make you extra-sensitive or something?"

"I didn't choose this life, Bella, none of my family did! I was barely even conscious!" He defended.

"Yeah, well it's not like I chose it either!"

He looked at me, confused.

"Alec found me in Volterra in 1820 when I was seven. I don't remember how I ended up there, but he took me back to the Castle to Aro. And Aro raised me with stories of vampires and the Volturi. Felix would always take me out into Volterra and teach me other things about Italy." I smiled at the fuzzy human memory.

"When I was fourteen he told me the stories were true, and I was turned by Felix at seventeen. I was too young be on the guard, and one day I found this room where I could watch them. I didn't choose this, I fell into it; it's all I remember."

He listened all the way through, and eventually held up a journal that sat behind him, "So you wrote these?"

I grabbed it from his hands, "Hey! Yes, I did write them."

We just laughed.

"So that's why you call Aro, Dad. He's the only parent you remember," he realized.

"At least I don't call Felix, Uncle Felix anymore," I laughed.

"I'm serious, though. At least I remember my parents."

"We don't know how long I was abandoned. But, I'm nearly two hundred years old; it doesn't really affect me that much anymore." There was a quiet moment between us before I asked, "How much younger are you?"

He chuckled, "I'll be one hundred and twelve soon. I was born in 1901 and Carlisle turned me in 1918. I was living in Chicago with my parents when my dad got the Spanish Influenza. Soon, my mom and I caught it also. I was on my deathbed when Carlisle turned me, just after my mom died. My dad died a few days earlier."

"Wow, you remember your parents." I was almost in awe, most of our parents weren't very good people, or we don't remember them."So you never made it to war?"

He laughed, "My mother wouldn't have let me anyways."

We were quiet for a while until I asked, "So you consider them family?"

"I was only seventeen, Carlisle became like a father. And when he changed Esme, she was like a mother."

All this was making me think to when I wrote all the journals hidden in here. I remembered how much I wished for a mother and the time I spent trying to remember anything about her. But after dwelling on it for so many years, I finally realized that my parents never wanted me in their lives. Otherwise, they would've have left me alone.

"Do _you_ consider _them_ family?" Edward asked.

"They're the only family I've known."

He looked confused with my answer.

Then the clock tower outside the castle rang; bringing me back to reality.

What was I even doing here? Why was I even telling him all this? I've only known him for a day, yet I was telling him everything about me. Just this morning, I was mad at him for getting inside my head. I wasn't even mad at him for finding my journals, and possibly even reading through them.

He was a vampire saint; he only drinks animal blood to protect the precious humans, he lost his ever-loving parents to the Spanish Influenza and was miraculously saved by the great Carlisle Cullen who taught him to have a sense of humanity.

He must think I'm such a sinner; being raised by the ever-feared Volturi, drinking the blood of the human tourists we lure into the Castle, killing those who do not follow the rules we've set for vampires around the globe.

Yet we were talking like there were not differences between us. For once in my life, someone was making me think about my past; the one door I told myself I wouldn't open again.

Without the help of his mind reading talent, he was getting inside my head. And I was letting him.

**A/N - short chapter; I know, I know. But it was a good one, no? Whether you thought it was or not I'd love for you to review! **

**and I want to thank everyone for such amazing response to this story, you're amazing! **


	4. His Compassion

**Disclaimer: The Twilight Saga and it's characters belong to Stephanie Meyer, I've just borrowed them!**

I didn't talk to Edward for the next two days his family was staying with us. I found all the ways possible to avoid him by taking on extra guard duties that I usually wasn't required to do.

But the second night was different. Alice was planning on going out to the Italian clubs that night. She had invited most of the guard, and Dad was making sure that I was going.

"I don't know why it's so important that I go! You're not making the rest of the guard go!"

I was in my dad's room, trying to reason with him.

"Bella, the Cullens are friends and I intend to keep it that way. You going is merely a sign of hospitality."

"Ugh! You're so impossible!"

With that I fled the room. I slammed the door behind me and heard it crack in protest.

I heard Dad groan.

I didn't really care though, if he was making me do this, I'd just have to find ways to make up for my displeasure.

I went to my room and straight to the walk-in closest to find something to wear for tonight.

I was struggling to reach the zipper of a tight-fitting strapless royal blue dress when there was a knock on the bedroom door.

"Who is it?" I called out the closet.

"It's Alice!"

"Oh, come in." I was a little surprised, I hadn't talked to Alice that much. But she had invited me to go out with them tonight, which I appreciated, as much as I didn't want to go. She seemed like a kind, helpful person; like the friend everyone wants.

The only friend I'd really ever had was Jane, but we really didn't hang out that much, since she was a highly important member of the guard.

I turned to see Alice in the doorway of the closet, watching me struggle, "Need some help?"

"That'd be wonderful."

She zipped me up and turned me around, "That's a wonderful dress on you; perfect for clubbing! I'm really glad you're coming with us tonight; I think we're going to be good friends. Trust the psychic," she tapped her head.

"Good to know," I laughed. "Now tell me, what shoes do you foresee me wearing? I can't decide."

I pulled her around the corner to the shoe wall, and her mouth gaped open.

"You're closet is bigger? I thought that over there was it! Some of this stuff hasn't even been worn yet!"

"I'm not really a huge fashion person; you can raid this place and take some of it before you leave if you want?"

"We _are_ going to be good friends!" She practically tackled me into a hug.

"It's no problem at all. Now how about those shoes?"

"Right!" She turned to the wall, _hmm_ing and _haa_ing over the many shoes in front of her.

Finally she came to a decision of a pair of plain black platform pumps.

Somehow I got myself into letting her do my hair and makeup too.

Soon there was another knock at my door, and soon the whole Cullen coven was in my room, excluding Carlisle and Esme.

"Alice!" Emmett boomed, "We've been waiting!"

"I was getting Bella ready!" she defended.

"Well you're done now, so let's go!" Rosalie exclaimed.

I popped in coloured contacts and we made our way out of the Castle, with Alice and Jasper leading and Edward and I trailing behind. We walked in silence beside each other until Edward finally said something.

"I could've warned you if you hadn't been avoiding me for the last two days," he accused.

"I have not been avoiding you. I've been fulfilling guard duties."

"Since when does the daughter of Aro have duties to fulfill?"

"You'll be the death of me Edward Cullen."

Then we reached the club and went straight to the front of the line, bribing the bouncer to let us in.

I hadn't been clubbing in years. The last time I did was with Heidi, Demetri, and Felix. I had so much fun that night; fun I hadn't had in a long time.

Once we walked in we were immediately swallowed by the dancing crowd. We made our way across the club and sat at a table.

Soon, Alice, Jasper, Emmett, and Rosalie were all gone out to dance, and it was just Edward and I.

"Are you going to answer me now?" he asked.

"Answer what?"

"Why you've been avoiding me."

"I must look like such a sinner to you." I finally admitted.

"And I'm a saint?"

"Practically."

"Humor me."

"You're so innocent; how do you not see it? You're like some protector of all beings."

"Just because I don't drink human blood?" He said 'drink human blood' like it was monstrous.

"No; because you felt bad for the immortal child," I accused. "My dad would have you chopped into tiny pieces if he knew."

"Who says I did?"

"I've been living for two hundred years, don't think I couldn't tell."

"Can I ask another question? Why do you hate me?" The tone of his voice was sincere, like he was upset.

"I don't hate you… your compassion confuses me," I said, being honest.

He laughed, "What compassion?"

"The compassion that got into my head."

"Bella, I swear it was only that one time-"

I cut him off, "I know that. I'm talking about the other day, up in that room. You got in my head, you got me to say and think things that I haven't in a very long time. I swore to myself I would never even think about my mother again, yet you made me talk about it so casually."

"Bella…" he hesitated, and blew out a hard breath, "I care about you in a way that I've never cared about anyone before." He said it so… lovingly, it was silencing.

All of a sudden Alice was back at the table, breaking the silence. "C'mon guys! Come dance!"

I realized how close Edward and I were leaning together and pulled away. It was like I forgot we were at a club; something that a human could not do with all the lights and booming music.

I looked over to him and smiled. He grabbed my hand and pulled me out into the swarm of bodies, never letting go.

We'd decided to go back to the castle around two am, while the rest of the Cullens were still back at the club. My contacts were starting to fade – not that my eyes were very red anymore; they had dulled to a dark cherry colour.

Edward grabbed my hand as we walked back; I gave in and let him as he rubbed circles on the back of my hand with his thumb.

He stopped me before we got to the castle, turning me to face him.

"Did I tell you how beautiful you look tonight, Bella?" he smiled down at me like the happiest man on Earth.

I looked up at him, "You are so full of it."

"No, I'm serious. I'm quite partial to that colour on you." I saw his eyes darken with lust, as look hungrily down at the dress. Then he leaned down to whisper in my ear, his lips just barely touching my skin, "No one should look so tempting."

His lips brushed down from my ear to my jaw and back, making me shiver – like the first day he came here with his staring.

"You knew right away, didn't you?" I asked, remembering that first day. I'd thought he was just staring to make me uncomfortable at the time. But looking back on the day I remembered his eyes being warm and full of curiosity.

His lips finally stopped, and came to the corner of my mouth. "I did."

I couldn't take the tension anymore, and turned my head to capture his lips in mine. He pressed his lips to mine slowly and pulled away to press his forehead against mine.

That's when a million questions and problems ran through my head of what could become of this; of us together.

"What I have I gotten myself into?" I whispered.

I felt his arms wrap around my waist and he kissed my forehead. "What's the worst that could happen?"

**A/N - I love this chapter so I hope you did too! It's short but I love their honesty towards each other. Sorry I haven't been posting much, school is crazy and I might have pneumonia. ****Anyways, please review! I love hearing your thoughts, and reading all your suggestions! Thank you to those who have reviewed!**  



	5. His Compassion: Edward POV

**A/N- Surprise! Today I have something I wasn't really planning on doing, but it was requested by a few people, and seemed like a good idea. Also, since I have final exams of term 1 this week, it was a good way to procrastinate! Here's Edward POV of Chapter 4! **

**Disclaimer - The Twilight Saga belongs to Stephanie Meyer, I just borrow her characters!**

Edward POV

Bella hadn't talked to me in two days. It was as if she was purposely avoiding me. But I couldn't help missing her, and her wonderful soul.

Bella had a certain presence. When she walked into to a room it was like she was automatically feared. I hadn't even met her before a few days ago, but I knew her name well. Vampires across the globe are more afraid of her than Aro, or even Jane. She was strong - stronger then Felix apparently. And unless you've encountered her, you wouldn't know of her powerful gift.

Alice was making me go out clubbing with the rest of the family tonight. She had invited the guard, and all of them declined but Bella. I had heard her bickering with her dad and saw it in his head as well that she didn't want to go.

It was probably because of me.

I had only been in her head once; I knew she felt the same spark that I did. But her actions countered it all. She hated me.

I didn't completely understand the hatred though. Alice had been trying to hide it from me but a little slipped out once and a while. I knew Bella and I would end up together at some point, and that she and Alice would become great friends. I just didn't know when. But I was going to make it happen. I didn't care about all the complications in my love struck mind.

And I couldn't wait to see her face again.

I'd heard in Jane's mind that Bella was picking up extra guard duties that she didn't need to do. It's not like the daughter of Aro was required to do anything. Apparently she liked to keep to herself for the most part.

I still couldn't believe that someone who came off so kind, could be so violent. But I suppose that's what the Volturi could do to someone.

Soon the rest of my family was forcing me into appropriate club clothing and we went to Bella's room to find her and Alice.

Emmett burst through the door, "Alice, we've been waiting!"

"I was getting Bella ready!" She defended. I looked over to Bella to find that she wasn't so happy about it. But it didn't distract me from what she was wearing. The royal blue of her dress made her look breathtaking.

"Well you're done now, so let's go!" Rosalie was antsy to go out. She'd claimed earlier that she couldn't stand the stuffy castle.

We made our way out of the castle with Alice and Jasper in the lead, and Bella and I in the back. There wasn't an awkward silence between us, but it wasn't a comfortable silence either. We both knew she was a avoiding me, so I spoke up.

"I could've warned you if you hadn't been avoiding me for the last two days."

It caught her off guard. "I have not been avoiding you. I've been fulfilling guard duties."

She didn't really believe I would accept that did she? She was proving to be a terrible liar.

"Since when does the daughter of Aro have duties to fulfill?" I questioned.

She folded her arms across her chest, and grumbled. "You'll be the death of me Edward Cullen."

We reached the club and went to straight to the front of the line, ignoring the groans behind us after the bouncer gratefully took his bribe.

We didn't all sit at the table for long; soon Alice, Jasper, Rosalie, and Emmett had gone out to dance, leaving Bella and I alone.

_Talk to her! _I heard Alice shouting at me through her thoughts.

I shot her and look and turned to Bella. "Are you going to answer me now?"

"Answer what?" she asked.

"Why you've been avoiding me."

I could see the wheels turning in her head as she tried to come up with something, but what came out of her mouth surprised me. "I must look like such a sinner to you."

"And I'm a saint?" I asked as memories of everything I've regretted flowed through my head.

"Practically."

"Humor me." I wanted to know what brought this on.

"You're so innocent; how do you not see it?" she asked, waving her hand at me. "You're like some protector of all beings."

"Just because I don't drink human blood?" I asked. She was being ridiculous, it's not like I hadn't before.

She looked offended. "No; because you felt bad for that immortal child. My dad would have you chopped into tiny pieces if he knew."

I remembered when the Denali's mother was killed for creating an immortal child. How devastated they still are for that incident with the Volturi. I wondered if Bella was present at that disaster.

"Who says I did?" I didn't necessarily feel bad for the child, so it wasn't a complete lie.

"I've been living for two hundred year, don't think I couldn't tell." I saw the Volturi side of her again, the side everyone was afraid of.

So I altered the subject, avoiding the topic. "Can I ask another question?" This was one I'd been wondering for a while now, "Why do you hate me?"

The question took her by surprise. "I don't hate you..." she hesitated, "you compassion confuses me."

_What does she think the definition of compassion is?_ I thought to myself.

I laughed, "What compassion?"

"The compassion that got in my head," she said quieter.

"Bella," I defended, "I swear it was only that one time-"

"I know that," she interrupted. "I'm talking about the other day, up in that room. You got in my head, you got me to say and think thing that I haven't in a very long time. I swore to myself I'd never think about my mother again, yet you made me talk about it so casually."

I heard my name come from Alice's thoughts again; along with Bella's. But I ignored it, and finally said what I'd wanted to say.

"Bella..." I blew out a hard breath to work up some courage. "I care about you in a way that I've never cared about anyone before." I look straight into her eyes as I said it, wanting her to know that I was being honest.

Alice kept calling my name in her thoughts and suddenly showed up next to the table. "C'mon guys! Come dance!"

I hadn't realize how close Bella and I were leaning together, and we both pulled back at the same time. I had almost forgotten we were sitting in a club.

I quickly gave Alice an 'I-can't-believe-you-just-interrupted-that' look and she replied through her thoughts with, _you were being too boring._

I smiled at Bella and took her hand, leading her to the dance floor.

While my siblings were still dancing away at two am, Bella and I decided to walk back to the castle. I held her soft hand in mine.

We were almost back, before I stopped her and turned her to face me.

I smiled down at her, thinking of her beauty. "Did I tell you how beautiful you look tonight, Bella?"

She grinned, "You are so full of it."

"No, I'm serious," I looked down at her dress, "I'm quite partial to that colour on you." I leaned toward her and whispered in her ear, "No one should look so tempting."

From her ear I drew my lips towards her chin and back up her jaw, feeling the smoothness of it. She shivered, and I hadn't wanted to kiss her so bad than in that moment.

"You knew right away, didn't you?" she suddenly asked.

I remembered the first day I met her, how I'd never seen anyone so beautiful. I hadn't realized it was the attraction of us being mates until Alice let a vision slip out. And then I remembered the other day when she let me into her head and I saw that she felt the electricity running between us. I saw all the love in her mind, and it was beautiful.

My lips came to a stop at the corner of her mouth and I whispered, "I did."

Then she did something I didn't expect, and turned her head to capture her lips in mine. I pressed mine to hers slowly - as not to force anything - and pulled away. I pressed my forehead into hers and looked into her eyes.

Her brown contacts were dissolving, making her eyes look a muddy-red. It reminded me that I hadn't put much thought into anything of this; us being together. The complications that could arise between our families, or our different diets. I just wanted to be with her; the very thought of it made me the happiest man alive.

"What have I gotten myself into?" she whispered, as if she was having similar thoughts to mine.

I wrapped my arms around her waist and kissed her forehead to try and comfort her. I wouldn't lie, but I didn't want to mention that this was all a recipe for trouble. So I said simply, "What's the worst that could happen?"

She chuckled and grabbed my hand. As we neared the castle I could hear the thoughts of the guard inside, I knew how protective they were of Bella. I wouldn't admit it, but I was scared of what they would think.

**A/N - Hope you enjoyed please review! **


	6. Revenge

**Disclaimer: Obviously Stephanie Meyer owns the Twilight Saga, I just like to borrow her characters! **

We sat on the rooftop garden all night – strangely bothered by no one.

As the sun started to rise, Edward kept looking down on the forest, listening to the animals waking up.

"Have you ever tried hunting animals before?" he asked suddenly.

"I didn't even know it was possible until you came to visit. My dad must have hidden it from me."

"Oh. Have you ever… contemplated something different?" I could tell what he was trying to do – get me to go hunting with him. I looked at his almost black eyes and knew he'd be hungry.

I made a face. "Doesn't it taste bad?"

He laughed and shook his head. "No; all your instincts kick in and it's just about the attack and not the pleasure. I suppose doing it without your instincts it would make it not taste very good."

I thought about it. Technically – if you really think about it – I could either starve for the rest of this week, or I could try feeding on animals. I wondered why Dad didn't approve of it. We _were_ meant to kill humans, but with having to keep our supernatural world a secret, wouldn't it help us stay better in secret?

Most of us didn't choose this life – especially not me. We all once lived human lives.

I found myself caught between wondering what my real parents would think, and that they left me alone.

"You are really going to be the death of me," I growled at him.

"And why is that?" he chuckled.

"You're making me think about things I've never even thought of before. Things that I've never _wanted_ to think about. Yet here I am wondering the possibilities of drinking animal blood, instead of drowning my parent's revenge in human blood." _Whoop!_ The truth came out. I covered my mouth as if I hadn't already done the damage.

I was mad at my parents. I was ashamed that they'd left me to rot on the empty, dark streets of Volterra. But now I was a vampire, and if they were still alive I could easily rip their throats out in revenge for leaving me. They were the reason I never got to live a full human life.

My knees were up against my chest, my head in my hands. There were light sobs coming from my chest. If I could cry, I would have.

"Bella? Bella what's wrong?"

Soon I was in his lap. His arms wrapped around me – cradling me to him as I buried my face in his chest.

This time, I was aware of letting him through my shield and I showed him everything I'd ever felt about my parents.

"It's okay, love." He kept cradling me, like Felix would when I was little and I fell and scraped my knee.

I hadn't had someone comfort me in a long time. I didn't need it; I was the most powerful vampire in the world. Who would _want_ to comfort me?

We sat there for a while, and the sun finally appeared over the trees.

"Bella?" I lifted my head from his chest to look at him. "I think I know someone who could help."

I stared at him, wondering what he was thinking.

"They should be back by now, c'mon." He stood me up in front of him, took my hand and led me back into the castle towards where he and his family were staying.

We came to Rosalie and Emmett's door and Edward knocked. Emmett threw open the door with a huge grin on his face. "Well look who it is – little Eddy and Bella!"

Rosalie came up behind him, giving him a good whack in the head. "Emmett don't be rude!" She pushed him out of the door frame to stand in front of us. "It's not every day when Edward comes knocking on our door. So what brings you here?"

I looked at Edward, wondering myself what we were doing there.

"Well," he started, "I thought you and Bella could relate on some level. Bella, why don't you talk to Emmett while I explain some things?"

I heard Emmett rejoice from inside the room, and I looked up at Edward with panic.

"It'll only take a minute, love." He kissed my forehead and Rosalie stepped out into the hallway, closing the door behind her.

I'd never been in the guest rooms before, they were bigger then I imagined.

Emmett was spinning around in the desk chair across the room.

"How old are you, again?" I asked.

"Vampire years, human years, or both?"

"Both, I suppose."

"Ninety-seven," he grinned. "So, what's your business with my brother?"

"Not that it's _your_ business, but…" I hesitated. What were we? In love? "We're together." I went with the safe answer.

I heard Rosalie and Edward bickering in the hallway but couldn't pick out any words. Suddenly the door bursts open and Rosalie came in, but Edward stayed in the door frame.

"You want to go for a quick hunt, Emmett?" Edward asked.

I shot Edward a 'don't you dare' look as my eyes widened. He just chuckled. "We'll be back by the time you're done," with that he shut the door and I was alone with Rosalie.

I had nothing against Rosalie. She was just so intimidating with her beautiful confidence.

"You can sit if you'd like Bella," she offered as she sat in one of the cushioned chairs in the room. I took the one beside her. "After all you do live here." She smiled a warm smile.

"So, why did Edward bring me?"

"Well, we all have our own history and he told me that you told him yours today and thought we could relate. Don't worry, Edward is quite the gentleman – I didn't get any of the details."

I kind of felt like I was at a therapist, and was waiting for her to ask me about my emotional family issues.

"I was told to simply tell you my history and that you'd understand. To be honest, I wasn't very willing at first, it's not like it's a happy ending. But I suppose if we had happy endings we'd all be under gravestones now."

I felt much more relaxed after that. There was obviously something we had in common, and I was already catching on.

"I guess it started in nineteen thirty-three. My family wasn't affected by the Great Depression, it was almost a myth. I had seen the struggles and knew it was hard for some, but my parents didn't really feel the same way. My father worked at the bank – I hadn't realized that he was very smug about it. My mother worked hard at home to keep it spick and span, and I worked alongside her."

I sat quietly as she spoke, remembering the 30s. Especially the booze ridden blood; it was terrible. People would resort to it to fill their empty stomachs because they couldn't afford a proper meal. Times were hard for so many people back then, and the vampire world took advantage. We were almost exposed in the 30s.

"At the time, I wasn't very aware that it all wasn't enough for them. They'd always wanted more for the family. But I didn't. I was quite content with the life I had; I was Rosalie Hale. My friends would be jealous over my beautiful hair, my mother was proud, and my father liked to buy me pretty dresses.

"There was only one thing I was envious of; my friend Vera. She had a perfect house, a perfect husband that kissed her cheek when he came home, and a little baby boy. And I came so close to it, Bella. I was engaged. There was a very wealthy family in Rochester, and Royce chose me. I'm not quite sure if I really loved him."

Her eyes darkened as she mentioned Royce, and I wondered where her story was going.

"Now that I look back, I'm not so sure if he really loved me or my looks, but at the time I couldn't help but brag because of my soon perfect wedding and think about my future perfect family. But one night, I was walking home late and came across a group of drunken men and one of them was Royce.

"They attacked me, and left me to die on the street. Carlisle found me, but I was too beaten to live on as a human and he turned me. My perfect human life robbed me of itself."

Horror washed across my face, and I realized why Edward brought me to her. Her human life was taken from her by something she couldn't control. But something that left her ashamed nevertheless; I could see it in her eyes.

"I took revenge, though. I went after each man and drained him. I saved the best for last, so he'd know I was coming. He hired to men to protect him but that didn't work so well. I dressed in my wedding gown and hunted him down too."

She finally looked me in the eye, "Sorry. I got a little carried away."

I shook my head, "Don't be. I understand why Edward brought me here now." She looked at me, waiting for me to explain. "My parents left me abandoned on the streets of Volterra when I was seven. That's when Alec found me. He was about to kill me until he realized his powers didn't work. That's how I grew up here," I told her first, giving the background information.

"Edward was trying to get me to go hunting with him and try animal blood. For you guys being here just a week, he's gotten me to think about so many things I hadn't thought of for over a hundred years. I thought I'd finally locked up the hate for my parents and apparently he held the key.

"I hate my parents Rosalie; they left me on the streets to die. Why should I drink animal blood when my parents left me and took away my shot at being human? I grew up with the Volturi; as much as I consider them family, we're the Volturi! What would it look like if they just let me skip into the sunset with a human life?"

I huffed out a big breath, finally done with my rant.

"I thought the same thing, about human blood. But Esme reminded me of all the other people out there living human lives, and who would I be to take it from them? I'd be exactly like Royce."

She had a point. I shouldn't go killing other humans just for revenge, on my (now dead anyways) parents.

"And don't be too hard on Edward; he's always had a hard time on being a vampire. But, his compassion is always in the right place."

I smiled. He really did care about everything going on around him, so sensitive to what others are doing. Now I saw how he got his mind reading ability. "I've noticed."

We stood as we heard Edward and Emmett bounding down the hall. Rosalie rolled her eyes as they wrestled through the door.

"That didn't take very long."

"Emmett wouldn't stop being his usual Emmett self."Edward held out his hand and I took it as he started pulling me to the hallway.

"Oh, and Bella," Rosalie called after me and I stopped in the door frame. "Just remember that if we hadn't ended up screwed over we would've never met these guys."

I saw Emmett smile and kiss Rosalie's forehead.

"Thanks Rosalie. I really appreciate it."

Edward pulled me out into the hallway. "So how did it go?"

"Shut up, you've already read her mind to know."

"But I want to hear it from you." I smiled down at me and kissed the top of my head.

"Well, Rosalie made a very good point. I can't take the human lives of others just because mine didn't work out."

"I'm proud of you; I know it was hard for you. I'm so sorry you had to go through that, especially by yourself! Did you not talk to anyone about it?"

"I was young; I didn't realize that anyone would understand. But Rosalie had a good point; if we'd had our happy endings we'd all be under gravestones now."

"I'm glad I'm not, though. I'd pretty content right here with you." His eyes locked on my lips and I leaned in to press mine to his.

It wasn't like the kiss we'd shared yesterday. This one was more urgent. My hands went to rest on his chest as he grasped my face, holding it to his.

Finally I broke it off, pushing his chest to get him to pull back. He looked at me with his eyes full of love, and if I could have blushed I would.

"So, how about them bunnies?" I asked.

"Please, Bella," he laughed, "Mountain Lions taste so much better. I don't suppose you have any in Volterra, though, so how about a nice deer?"

**A/N- Please Review! I love to know that everyone's still interested! Let me know if you have any suggestions!I've had writers block writing chapter 7, there's a lot of plans I have for this story and I haven't quite smoothed out the kinks yet. So please be patient for chapter 6. I want to make sure it's perfect before posting it. I'll have some time this week since my last exam is Monday: University level Biology: wish me luck! Afterwards I promise to work very hard on this story. I've actually never finished a whole story before, so I'm determined! **


	7. A Change

**Disclaimer: ****Obviously I don't own Twilight, all credit goes to Stephanie Meyer for creating these amazing characters!**

"Just close your eyes."

Edward's hands were on my shoulders, keeping me in place. He wanted me to take in the forest around me by using my nose.

"Edward, I don't see how this will work."

"Just trust me; let all your instincts take over and when you smell it, you'll know what to do."

The air shifted and I smelt the warm blood of an animal. Letting my instincts take over, I ran towards the scent. I could hear the wet pulse of the animal, and it drove me forward as thirst filled my mind.

The bear came into my view in a small clearing of the trees. I watched as it pushed its nose into the ground to sniff out something. It didn't hear my silent feet that carried me closer. I inhaled deeply as another breeze blew it's scent. I crouched into a hunting stance, then quickly pounced onto the bear. It was caught by surprise and automatically started clawing at my marble skin. I pinned it down and ripped into it's jugular vein. It let out one last gurgle and soon ran dry.

I felt the vampire in me fade as I heard Edward walking up behind me.

"That was… amazing." He had a huge smile across his face, like he'd just won a Nobel Prize.

I smiled back. "It was a lot easier than I thought. They put up more of a fight too."

His smiled faltered slightly, obviously not impressed with my comparison. It's not like I could help it, I'd been feeding on humans my whole life.

I licked my lips to check how messy I'd gotten and tasted some of the leftover animal blood. I felt my face scrunch up in disgust.

Edward laughed.

"Now I see what you mean about instincts," I said, my face still scrunched.

But Edward wasn't laughing anymore. I smoothed my face out and looked at him to find pure love in his eyes. He closed all the space in between us and wrapped his arms securely around my waist. My arms went to wrap around his neck and I brought his face closer to mine; our noses touching.

He finally closed the rest of the space and pressed his lips to mine. But he didn't pull away after just one; he kept kissing me. Our lips molded perfectly to each other. My hands went into his hair, and I grabbed onto it to holding his face to mine.

I don't know how long we kissed but the lack of needing to breathe helped. Eventually, Edward pulled away and laughed as I pouted.

"You are so beautiful," he said, combing my hair with his fingers. "Although, you look a lot less scary without the red eyes."

"Shut up! I don't need red eyes to be the most powerful vampire on this planet." I smiled. I don't know how much it reached my eyes. What would my dad think about my change in diet? He wasn't so happy about me knowing that another diet was possible in the first place.

"You're right. But I like these eyes anyways."

My new eye colour just kept reminding me of my dad's reaction to all of this. He must know something's been going on by now. Three days ago he sensed something was wrong. And Edward and I weren't even together yet!

I felt my face drop. "Edward… We should go back to the castle now. I'm sure everyone will be awaiting our arrival."

If I knew my dad, there would definitely be a big production.

I'm sure I had scared written all over me. This could go very bad in many ways.

"Bella, love?" He put his hands on either side of my face, forcing me to look at him. "I'll protect you. I swear."

"Edward, I don't think I'm the one who will need protecting," I told him. "This could go very wrong."

"Or it could go perfectly smoothly. Don't worry, okay? I'll be right beside you."

I pecked his lips before letting go of the grip I had on him.

He took my hand. I held it tighter than ever and we took back to the castle, where our fate awaited.

Just before we stepped into the throne room I stopped Edward.

I talked so low, only he could hear, "Edward, I want you to know one thing before we go in there." I grabbed his face in between my hands to make sure he was paying attention. "I love you, okay?"

"I love you too, Bella. More than you'll ever know."

I gave him a quick peck on the cheek and we walked hand in hand into the throne room.

It was weird being there, with my friends and family gathered around like I had committed some crime. All of the people I'd known my whole life, all standing on the other side. The side I should be on. It was weird not having my black cloak, and standing next to my father.

We stopped in the middle of the room.

"Dad." I nodded at him. Not sure what to make of this scene.

"My dear daughter Bella! I am so pleased you've found your mate in a soul as wonderful as Edward Cullen."

This wasn't a side of my dad I saw a lot… definitely not a side that was directed towards me.

"I love him, Dad," I said hesitantly.

"I see that. Marcus could sense your bond before the first day the Cullen's arrived. But I didn't know of your new diet until now."

"Yeah, well animals put up more of a fight." I countered. I wasn't going to let a small thing effect me, so he shouldn't let it affect him.

I was getting really tired of this weird act he was playing. I was so confused to what it exactly was. But I saw the wheels in his head turning, and he had something up his sleeve.

Then, he turned to Edward. It took all my strength to hold my shield in my own mind.

"My dear Edward," he held his hand, "may I?"

I saw Edward's muscles flex, but he gave his hand to Dad anyway.

I saw my dad's eyes widen slightly to what he was seeing, and suddenly, the wheels in his head stopped turning. He let go of Edward's hand.

"I see you have no plans of staying. You plan on going back with your family to Forks."

My chest tightened in response to something Edward and I hadn't discussed yet. We knew we'd have to soon and it was constantly in the back of my mind; but it was too sad to bring up after we'd been so happy.

"Yes, sir. And with your permission I'd planned to ask Bella to come with me."

I knew this was wrong of Edward to do; especially in my Volturi eyes. You don't take someone from the guard; you join the guard.

But I also knew how most vampires - if not all vampires - felt about us. We were not something you wanted to be a part of. And I knew Edward and his family were no exception.

"Well you certainly do not have my permission," Dad said flatly. I thought I almost heard it crack.

I saw this situation from his eyes for a moment. The refusal of Edward not joining us didn't affect him, neither did the fact that he wanted to take a guard member. I could see in his eyes that what hurt him the most was Edward simply taking his daughter away.

I looked around the room at my family - the people that helped me grow up - and saw the same thing in their eyes; sadness.

Not anger, just sadness.

I was grown up. I found a different life. But I wouldn't be allowed to leave. I already knew that and so did they.

I tightened my hand around Edward's and turned to look at him. "I can't just leave. What would it look like if they just let me go?"

"We still have one more day," he reassured me. A different sadness filled his eyes. A sadness that showed his love for me; he didn't want to lose me.

"You won't lose me, it'll just be long distance. That's all." I tried to comfort him, trying to make the sadness in eyes - in everyone's eyes - go away.

"Well, I suppose tomorrow will be very appropriate then," Dad said.

What was so special about tomorrow? "What are you talking about, Dad?" I asked, confused.

"Do you not know what tomorrow is, Bella? Do you think the Cullen's just popped in for an unexpected visit? I don't know how you haven't heard anything from anyone…"

What was he talking about? The Cullen's just stopping by is exactly what I thought was happening. "Seriously," I looked around the room at everyone. "What's happening tomorrow?"

"You'll be exactly two hundred tomorrow. The other covens should be showing up sometime overnight."

I had completely forgotten about my birthday. We haven't had a party in… forever. I don't remember _ever_ having a birthday party.

"Why on Earth are you throwing me a party?" I asked in shock.

"Why do we need a reason? We care about you celebrating a special number."

"I hate parties," I said flatly. But a smile still crept up on my face. The question of leaving with Edward or staying in Volterra still burned in my mind and this was a reason I couldn't leave. This was my home; where my family was.

Dad smiled too. "I know. I made it black tie too; it'll give you a chance to wear one of those gowns you have."

I closed the gap Dad and I had between each other and hugged him tight. I felt his powers push against my shield and I instantly let him in.

I knew he'd see the doubt in my mind, and that meant he'd see how much I loved Edward. But he'd also see why I wanted to stay; why I was staying.

Before I could thank him for the party he said something, "Thank you." I knew he was thanking me for staying.

I finally pulled away.

"I'll see you then."

I walked backward, away from my dad, and felt Edward's arm wrap around my waist.

I felt out of my own body; my mind going back and forth between leaving and staying. I knew my dad wouldn't let me leave. But would I have the guts to escape? No. So I'd stay. But Edward; I just got him and now I'd have to spend so much time apart from him?

Could we really do that? Was that really possible? We were mates so it's not like we had to worry about others getting in the way.

I was vaguely aware that I was just dragged up the stairs to my room. Edward sat me down on my bed, and then sat across me.

"You're killing me Bella."

I looked over at him to see a frantic look in his eyes.

"We can do it, we'll be fine. It's not that long away, right? Just a couple plane rides. It's only five thousand six hundred eighty-three miles," I said, more to myself than anything.

Edward got up and started pacing around the room. My eyes followed as I waited for him to say something.

When he stopped there was a quick knock the door but I didn't answer, too busy listening to what Edward was telling me.

"I should stay. I'll join the guard with you."

I immediately reacted. I was in front of him in a second. "Edward, no! You can't do that! Do you know how dangerous that is? There is no way I am _ever _letting you join the guard! What about your family? Once my dad has you, you _know_ he'll want the rest of your family to join too and you can't do that!"

"Bella-"

"No!" I cut him off. "It's not happening! I don't care how damn much I love you, I am not letting you do that, it's way too dangerous."

The knocking on the door stopped and Alice burst in. "You know Bella is right, Edward."

He seemed to ignore her. "If it's so dangerous, then how can you expect me to let you stay?"

I grabbed his face between my hands. "I grew up here, remember?"

"It's still dangerous for you," he frowned.

"I'm fine. Aren't I always?" I smiled at him and wen to peck his lips, but he kept kissing me.

Then Alice cleared her throat behind me, and Edward pulled away.

"Yeah, fine." He smiled.

"Edward Anthony Masen Cullen! Why would you think of something like that? Think of this family! And Esme! How would she feel? And you know you'd-"

"Alice!" Edward cut her off. "I changed my mind didn't I?"

She glared at him, calming down. "Yeah, you did."

The door opened again, and Felix came in. "What's going on in here? I heard an awful lot of yelling."

I saw the rest of Edward's family appeared in the door frame.

"That's what we were just wondering," Carlisle said.

"Just a misunderstanding, everything's fine," I clarified.

"Are you sure about that?" Alice asked.

I saw Edward's eyes widen beside me to try to tell Alice not to mention it.

But Felix didn't exactly get the same message. "I think there still might be a misunderstanding, I have a feeling Aro thinks you're staying, Edward."

"Well he's not," I said before anyone could assume. "I won't let him."

"Maybe you should clarify that."

" I shouldn't have to. That man needs a good slap in the head. Did he not understand what just happened down there?"

"He's just looking out for you Bells. We all are."

I could tell that Edward was not happy about this from the grip he had on my waist. He was about to burst any moment.

"You should go now, Felix. I need to talk to the Cullen's."

"Fine, I'll go. But you can't abandon your family, Bella."

Felix left and the rest of the Cullen's stepped into my room. I ignored what Felix just told me.

I looked all of them in the eye. "I want you all to know that there's no way I'm letting Edward stay."

"We're very grateful for that, Bella," Esme said. She came up to me and hugged me tight. I didn't expect it, but I hugged back tightly. Feeling her warm motherly embrace; something I didn't remember ever getting.

"I wish you could come back with us," she said quietly.

"I do too."

**A/N: Although I've gotten a few comments on how Edward and Bella are moving fast, you have to remember how vampire mates work. And the fact that vampires personalities and feelings are stronger. Just a reminder; even I felt like they're relationship was developing fast! :P Anyways, there's another chapter. Thanks for being so patient while I went through my first semester final exams (PS I passed biology!). I spent a few days working on the next chapters and I'm very excited to be introducing more characters from the twilight books. As always, I love reading your reviews, and I thank everyone of you for supporting this story. I also have a one-shot going up soon, and I hope you guys will check that out also! **


	8. An Unexpected Guest

**Disclaimer: I obviously don't own the amazing-ness that is Twilight. **

I've never really given a love life much thought. I never thought I'd ever find a mate; because it could be anyone. Anyone in the world. Sometimes people even find mates in a human; it doesn't happen often but I've seen it before.

And tonight I had to say goodbye to Edward, my mate. The one I'd finally found when I wasn't even looking.

We had curled up on my bed all day trying to soak up every last moment, before Alice knocked at my door. She went through all my unworn gowns in my closet before deciding on a red strapless a-line gown with a fitted top. It was plain except for the white crystals across the top.

Alice curled my hair to one side of my face and made my lips look blood-red.

"Edward's going to love it!" Esme gawked at my gown as we stood in front of my full length mirror.

"Thanks Esme."

Alice cleared her throat beside me.

"You too Alice; I didn't even recognize myself at first!"

There was a knock at my door and Felix came in. "Aro would like Esme and Alice downstairs now."

"Oh, of course! We'll be off then," Esme said, dragging Alice out the door.

The door closed behind them, and Felix stayed in my room.

"So," I turned to him, "when does he want me down there?"

Felix looked at his watch, "In about five minutes."

I looked at his suit and tie. I don't think I'd ever seen him in one before. "You look handsome."

He laughed. "And you look happy. I know there's always been a hole in your life without your real parents, Bella, but we've all seen that he's starting to fill it. We also want to apologize for having to stand on the other side of the throne room earlier. Don't tell your dad, but none of us wanted to be there."

I smiled at him. My big brother Felix. "Thanks, Felix… so you don't feel like I'm abandoning you guys?"

"I'm sorry, that came out wrong earlier. I don't think you're abandoning us, but I'm worried that there will come a day where you'll have to choose."

"I know. I'm worried about how soon that will be. Edward doesn't realize how dangerous just living here is."

"Even I don't know exactly what this job takes," Felix said. I was surprised at how serious he said it.

I looked down, not sure what to think.

"We should get going."

I linked my arm with Felix and we headed down the ballroom. The Volturi hadn't thrown a party like this in forever. Mostly because we were worried about having so many vampires in Volterra at the same time.

I suppose that's why Dad only let the Cullens stay. They were vegetarians. But I'm sure if he had known Edward and I would end up together, he wouldn't have let them stay. The Cullens were the complete opposite of my family.

We reached the ballroom and Felix went in without a word, leaving me behind until I was ready.

On the other side of the door I heard Dad quiet the room and start to welcome everyone.

"Welcome to Volterra my friends! We have gathered you all here today to celebrate the very special day of my daughter, Bella."

He kept talking about the growth of the Volturi over the last couple decades – obviously informing everyone of the power we still held. I heard footsteps behind me, and turned to see Edward.

He looked so handsome in his suit and bow tie. "Well aren't you a handsome man!" I gushed at him.

"With a beautiful woman in front of him." He leaned down to kiss me and held out his arm. "I'm here to escort you."

I smiled at him, "My dad is ridiculous. What am I? A debutant?"

"I think it's a nice idea," he smirked.

"You're ridiculous too," I said, taking his arm.

He chuckled as the doors opened to the ballroom, and Edward and I stepped through.

We stopped beside my dad, I whispered to him "You sure this classifies as a birthday party?"

"They would expect nothing less, Bella."

I nodded. It was true.

"Also, no raising, covering or letting anyone into that shield tonight under any circumstances. I don't want anyone catching on." He added.

"Well we wouldn't want me screwing up again, would we?" I answered, letting acid leak into my voice.

He ignored me.

Our conversation was quick and low; the many vampires that filled the big, elegant room would've only noticed it as us passing a few words to each other. As a Volturi, you learn to use different faces in different situations.

I then addressed the room, "Thank you all so much for joining us in Volterra! I'm so happy to see so many new faces; I look forward to talking with you all! Please enjoy your night. It's all on me!" The crowd laughed at my little joke. It wasn't really something I'd normally say but I suppose I'd picked up a few ways of presenting myself as a Volturi.

Music started up and Edward brought me to the floor to dance.

One of his hands went my waist, and the other gripped mine tightly.

"You really look breathtaking tonight, Bella."

"It's too bad I'm not wearing blue then, huh?" I teased.

He laughed. "You'd look gorgeous in anything."

We danced a little longer until my dad called us over to meet a few of his friends.

My dad and I had just finished conversing with the Amazon coven, and Edward was starting to pull me to meet the Denali's when I heard the ballroom door burst open behind me.

I immediately turned around and felt the rest of the guard rush over behind me. I heard Demetri shove Edward to stand beside me and I shoved him protectively behind me. It was typical protocol, when someone showed up unannounced. It was seen as a danger by all of us.

Most of the room probably hadn't even seen what happened; just our response.

"Well, I didn't know that it was a crime to show up fashionably late!"

Standing just inside the room was James. Someone I didn't think I'd ever see again.

More than a hundred years ago his mate, Victoria created an army of newborn vampires. We straightened out the situation before we even found out why. James had seemed to have no part in the matter and we let him go with a warning. Who would've thought he'd have the guts to show up like this.

I stepped forward, taking charge of the situation. "When it's my party it is," I told him with a stern voice.

The room was silent for a minute and my dad stepped forward to stand beside James. "How lovely to see you here James! I'm sure you'll love to get acquainted with everyone!"

That got the room filling with conversation again, instead of people staring silently at the scene that was just made.

Dad had an unnoticeable grip on James' back as he led him toward where we were standing. I was aware of Edward still standing behind me.

I didn't want him here for this.

I turned to him before my dad and James got over. "Why don't you go see the Denali's, I'll be there in a second." I kissed his cheek and he turned away without a word.

"Well, I'm disappointed; I thought Bella's new mate had joined the guard!" James said with a fake disappointment.

"Like that's ever happening," I said to him as acid leaked through my voice.

"Then judging by your eye colour you're leaving your little home of Volterra. How's the animal blood doing Bella? How weak are you already?" I sneer came through his voice.

"Well, I'm not leaving and-"

"Animal blood doesn't weaken the system and my daughter can drink whatever blood she'd like," my dad defended.

He opened his mouth to say something else, but I walked away, leaving the rest of the guard to deal with him. I was positive he came here to simply pick a fight with me, and I would not let that happen tonight. There are plenty of vampires sitting in this room that would go against us if a fight did break out – they would lose – but I didn't want that happening.

I also didn't want to spend my last day with Edward dealing with James.

Edward was still over with the Denali coven. Their coven consisted of four women and one man. They had golden eyes, like Edward and his family, which meant they had the same diet. I'd never met them before, and I knew why. A very long time ago their mother committed the crime of creating an immortal child. Aro did the dead of ripping her up himself, the Denali's haven't kept very good contact with us since.

Edward had explained to me that, since their two covens could live in peace with humans, they'd lived all together once. But it had started attracting too much attention and they now considered themselves cousins. The Volturi side of me had approved – accidently aloud – at that decision.

As I approached Edward and the Denali's I noticed that Edward wasn't really listening to the conversation taking place. I wanted to comfort him, tell him everything was under control. But I also knew he would ask me if I was okay, and check for any sort of flaw in my features, and I didn't want that happening here. I didn't want anyone to see me vulnerable… especially James.

I finally got to his side, and his arm automatically went around my waist as he introduced me to Tayna, Kate, Irina Carmen, and Eleazer.

"It's very nice to meet you," I greeted as I shook their hands, keeping a composed face.

"It's so nice to see that Edward has found his mate!" Carmen explained.

"I suppose now it's our turn, huh Irina?" Tayna nudged Irina's arm.

"What about Kate?" Irina asked.

Kate looked across the ballroom, eyeing someone and I turned to see it was a nomad named Garrett. He looked right back at her.

I turned my head back around to look at Kate and smiled. Then I leaned down to whisper in her ear. "His name is Garrett. No mate. Not yet anyway."

I pulled away and saw her eyes widen. "Then I shall be back."

She strode across the room toward Garrett and begun introducing herself.

I supposed afterwards that I probably shouldn't have done it. Dad didn't want the 'vegetarian' covens growing any bigger. But the deed was done, and I felt proud of myself for getting them together.

I wondered if they were really mates and looked around to find Marcus. He was looking at Kate and Garrett and then turned to me and winked.

I looked up at Edward to find his smile not reaching his eyes and I gave him a 'just say it' look. I honestly really didn't care if he said it in front of the Denali's or not. They were bound to find out anyways.

"Who is that?" he finally asked, inclining his head towards James.

The Denali's seemed very interested too, so I spoke to them all.

"Just someone we've had to deal with in the past." I acted like it was not a big deal. But it really was; he had sent many threats towards me and the Volturi. Unfortunately, we weren't able to act on anything unless it became physical. And in over 80 years, nothing had ever happened. "I killed his mate," I added; just so that the people eavesdropping didn't get the wrong idea.

I thought I saw Tayna shutter, but I wasn't sure.

As if he were my savior, from this now awkward conversation, Alec tapped me on the shoulder and asked me to dance.

He put one hand on my hip and the other in my hand and we danced to the waltz tune filling the ballroom.

"Thank you for saving me. That conversation got really awkward, really fast."

"It was no problem… You know something?"

"What?" I asked, curious at his sudden question.

"You can't go blabbing this around because I could literally be killed, but we were all hoping Aro would decide to let you go."

I felt my mouth fall open in shock. I was hurt. My family wanted rid of me?

"No! I didn't mean it like that." Alec saw the hurt in my face. "I meant that, we've all watched you grow up, Bella. And while we'd be screwed without you on the guard, we're finally seeing you happy with someone that cares about you, possibly more than we do."

I smiled then. "I've got a lot of this sappy crap lately," I joked. "Did my dad put you up to all of this?"

He laughed. "I promise you he did not." He smiled faded then. "I also wanted to… warn you."

"What are you talking about Alec?"

He swallowed hard. Something I'd never seen him do. "I wanted to remind you, that, just _being _with Edward is just as dangerous as him joining the guard."

Alec telling me this was enough to make me believe what I already knew. He didn't have a chance to say anything else though, because the song stopped and James came up behind Alec to cut in.

We had to be civil with so many people watching, so Alec allowed him, and I accepted.

"What are you even doing here?" I asked as we started dancing.

"It's Bella's two-hundredth birthday! Now I wouldn't miss this for the world!"

We kept our voices low, and our faces composed as to not let on anything suspicious.

"Of course you wouldn't. It's not like Victoria would."

His composed face faltered slightly. "I simply came to check up on the little Volturi guard."

"See that's where your mind gets lost, it's _our_ job to check up on _you_."

His jaw clenched. "I may not be able to get my hands on you little Volturi, but I have other ideas."

My composed face was then the one losing. You can't just get back at a Volturi, we all protect each other. But now I had Edward, and James knew we weren't staying with each other physically.

"Don't you dare, he has the guard protecting him too. If you want him you're going to have to go through me first. And unfortunately, Victoria isn't here to tell you how hard that can be."

The song came to a close, and he was just leaving before he said, "Watch you're- or should I say _his_ back, Volturi. Also, I wouldn't rely on the Cullen's powers either, I've got it all figured out."

There was only one thing left to do. The one thing I'd been trying to avoid.

**A/N - Who guessed I was bringing in James? Hope you enjoyed this chapter, and hopefully the next will be up soon. I have a snow day today so I'll be working on it all day. I also thought I'd update you on the amazing stats I have for this story: **

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**Thank you so much for all this amazing**** support; keep reviewing! :)**

**P.S. I also have a new one-shot up called Masen Cemetery. It's based 80 years after breaking dawn. Check it out! **


	9. Goodbye

**I'm sorry; this chapter was very painful for me to write**

**Disclaimer - of course, Stephanie Meyer owns Twilight. All credit goes to her.**

I had to give up Edward. I had to tell him we couldn't be together. It was the only way I could keep him safe while being so far away from him. It would hurt the both of us in ways that I couldn't even imagine.

I didn't want to be like Marcus. He became more suicidal every day; Chelsea had to keep pulling his ties closer to us almost every day.

I would tell Emmett to force Edward to live every day, and get Esme to tell him to never give up on me coming back. Because I would one day; as soon as I had the chance to kill James, I would. And then Edward would be safe.

I left the party. Not that anyone would notice my absence. There was a small balcony off the ballroom. I closed the doors behind me and watched the sun set. Clouds now loomed over the bright moon, threatening to spill over with rain.

I heard the door open behind me and turned to see Esme. I wasn't sure of the expression on my face but I didn't bother to cover it up.

She smiled warmly as she shut the balcony door.

"How many people have noticed I've been gone?" I asked lightly.

"Just the important people," she said sitting next to me. "Edward's worried."

I half-laughed, "Of course he is."

"Tell me what's wrong. And don't tell me nothing is, because I can tell."

I looked over at her with panic, and hesitated to tell her the truth. "You saw the man who crashed the party?" She nodded. "I killed his mate after she built a newborn army, and now… he-" I swallowed hard to get rid of the lump in my throat, "he wants to kill mine."

She looked shocked. I knew she considered Edward as a son, and this probably scared her more than it did me.

I went on quickly, "I'm not going to let him stay here; I can't take him from his family. And I can't leave with you. He's in danger without me, Esme, you all are… I have to let him go."

She wrapped her arms around my shoulders, "Oh, Bella."

"It won't be forever, though. Once I have a reason to kill James, I will. Then it'll all be over."

She squeezed me tight. "I'm sorry you have to do that just for Edward."

I started to shake, my body threatening to sob dryly. But the party wasn't over yet; I had to keep it together.

"Esme," I turned to her, "you can't let him give up on me coming back. Because I will, and I'm too selfish to let him move on."

She sighed. "I understand, Bella. It's what'll keep him safe."

We sat in a comfortable silence, with Esme giving me a motherly embrace. I composed myself and finally stood to enter the ballroom again.

Edward was at my side the second I re-entered the room.

"What's wrong, love?"

"I'm fine, Edward. I just needed some fresh air," I lied.

He relaxed then.

Soon all of our guests were gone, and I went up to my room to change out of the uncomfortable dress.

Afterwards, I went to the guest hallway and knocked on Rosalie and Emmett's door. I needed to talk to Emmett before they left.

Rosalie opened the door and I spoke very quietly before she could, "Cover your thoughts now."

I walked through the door and stood in the middle of the room.

"Emmett, I need you to make sure Edward leaves tonight, you need to force him on that plane. Don't let him do anything reckless and if he tries, threaten him with whatever you need to. I need to do that for me, okay?"

Emmett nodded, seeming to quickly catch on. But Rosalie still looked confused.

"Bella, what are you talking about?"

"I'm letting him go tonight, Rosalie. That guy, James is holding a grudge against me. And he can't get to me, but he can get to Edward. I'm sorry. It's the only way to keep him safe."

With that I left the room. I didn't want to keep talking about it. Soon, I would have to follow through. I honestly didn't know how Edward was going to react, but I didn't think it would be good.

I made my way downstairs, avoiding the rest of the Cullens in their guest rooms. It just reminded me that not only was I giving up Edward, I was giving up his family and everything else he'd brought into my life.

I waited in the small court where we kept a few cars, and where the Cullens were keeping the rental cars to take them to the airport. The clouds were thick in the sky and thunder roared in the still air.

Soon the Cullen clan appeared, along with my dad and Felix. I quickly covered my shield over everyone so they wouldn't slip before I said anything.

I hugged each of the Cullens while Edward stayed at my side and watched them get into the two cars. Only Emmett stood by, in case he had to drag Edward back.

I turned to Edward, wrapped my arms around his neck and squeezed as if my life depended on it.

"I'm sorry, Edward," I whispered, my voice shaking.

"Don't worry; I'll call you once we're home." He squeezed me once and reluctantly pulled away.

This was it…

"You can't… you can't call me, Edward." I tried to swallow back the lump in my throat as I watched Edward's face fall along with the rain in the clouds.

"Bella…"

"You can't call me, you can't come back. We can't be together, Edward. It's too dangerous."

We stood inches away from each other, and I tried my hardest to keep from packing my bags and leaving with him.

"Bella, you can't do this," he choked out.

"Edward," my voice cracked, my body shook, "you have to go. We can't be together."

Edward wasn't moving. The rain pouring from the sky looked like the tears that should've been falling from his face. I felt my hair and my clothes sticking to me, but I couldn't care. I wasn't sure how much longer I could look at him without completely breaking down.

His eyes pierced into mine and I dropped my shield off his family, but didn't let him in.

"Don't come back," were my last words to him before I called Emmett's name.

I watched Emmett drag Edward into the backseat of a car and Esme try to comfort him. The cars drove off just before I sank to the ground and sobbed. I dug my nails into my thighs to keep myself from running after him.

My heart felt as still as ever.

I felt cold.

Dead.

Vampire.

The subtle burn in my throat intensified.

But I wasn't going to hunt animal blood.

Human was everything I wanted right now.

I heard my dad ask Felix to take me up to my room, and he scooped me up in his arms and carried me away from the rain.

I curled up in my bed. Feelings the warmth the blankets provided around me. I sobbed and screamed into my pillow.

Eventually the screaming anger overtook the sadness and I got up from the bed. My brain was on autopilot and that meant vampire speed.

I flipped the nightstands beside my bed, and crashed the lamps into the opposing wall. I went into my closet and shattered the mirror and ripped up the red gown I'd worn today. I trashed my whole room.

Finally, I went up to the small room that overlooked the throne room and collected all the journals I had there. All the stupid things I'd ever cared about all written down as if I wouldn't remember them. I was a vampire, and I'd remember it all like it happened yesterday.

There were about ten journals in total and I took them all to my dad's study to burn them in the fireplace.

I ignored my dad's presence in his own room and threw them one by one into the fireplace, ignoring his attempts to calm me.

When they were all in I turned to him, "I'm going to go have Teresa as a snack since she's the one who let James get by. See you later."

I went down to the desk she was stationed at and asked her to follow me to the throne room. When we got in and she saw no one else was there I saw the panic spread across her face.

I smiled wickedly at her, "I'm sorry I have to kill you. But you should probably warn a girl about someone like James showing up. You've been around long enough to know that you don't just let someone get by; even if you are a weak human."

She knew what was coming. I got the satisfaction of hearing her screams. Her blood soothed my aching throat. And I got the joy of knowing that someone was having a night worse than mine as I disposed of her body down the sewer.

I quickly lit the empty body on fire inside the sewer. Just one was enough to stink up the place.

But one body wasn't enough. The ache in my throat continued, and the shrinking throne room was making me feel claustrophobic. I had to get out of the castle and into the human filled city of Volterra.

I didn't even think of the consequences; I bolted to the nearest exit outside only to be stopped by a stone wall.

I fell to the ground and looked up to see Demetri blocking the exit.

I stood up and kept trying to ram into him, but he held still.

"MOVE, DEMETRI! LET ME OUT!" My screams seemed to attract a crowd behind me. I felt Alec and Jane's powers trying to get through my shield.

I kept screaming at Demetri, "GET OUT OF MY WAY! I JUST WANT TO DRAIN A COUPLE PEOPLE; IS THAT TOO MUCH TO ASK?!" I kept slamming my fists into his chest, and on a regular day I would've gotten past him. But today was not a regular day.

I turned to my dad, who was standing with an audience behind me.

"Can't you do something about this?! Just ask him to let me through."

He grabbed my shoulders. "Bella, just calm down."

"HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO CALM DOWN?! I can't calm down! He's gone!" My voice was strained as I held back sobs. "He's gone, daddy."

I felt exhausted, if that was possible for a vampire. And _god_ my throat was burning. I could still feel Alec and Jane trying to get through my shield. Since a human body wasn't accessible, I went for the next best thing.

I let Alec through my shield and my body went numb.

I saw the world tilt and soon my vision was gone, too.

Unfortunately, the immortal can't be unconscious so I was still very aware of every second that was passing.

I knew the only way to get out of Alec's haze was to shield it off myself or it would stop when my dad asked him to.

I didn't have the strength to push him out, so I was left alone to my thoughts.

I didn't want to go on without Edward. I felt empty without him. But I'd gone almost two hundred years without even knowing he existed; all I had to do was be strong enough until James gave me a reason to rip his head off.

Edward was safe with his family. I made sure of that. He was still alive. I may have broke his heart but I knew somewhere in his mind, he understood. He _had_ to.

And I couldn't mope around because the guard needed me. Wasn't that why I couldn't leave in the first place?

I couldn't do anything that might remind me of him; It would make me miss him too much. I couldn't pretend he never existed; his finger prints didn't fade from me.

James would never stop trying to get back at me. Now that Edward was safe from him the guard was in danger again. I had to be strong to protect my guard; my family. I don't know how or if he planned to make it out alive but there was no way I was letting it happen.

All I had to do was wait.

**A/N - *hides* *peeks around corner* sooo, what'd ya think? Let me know by reviewing!**

**as always thanks for all the support on this story. I've officially gone down a specific road for this story. **

**Also, the next chapter is considered a 'filler' chapter. But I've written some Edward POV into it (and I hope you'll like it better than the last Edward POV I posted for this story. Personally, I think it's way better) One more thing, I knew a lot of you really liked how Bella held more of her own in this story so I making sure that's consistent. **


	10. Ruined

**Attention: My plans have changed this is no longer a filler chapter, but a chapter of significance. Thank You.**

**Disclaimer - of course Stephanie Meyer owns all the amazing-ness that is The Twilight Saga**

We boarded a private plane for Perm, Russia. Dad was recently informed of a new coven there and was sending Jane, Demetri, Felix, and I to let them know of our rules.

"It's too bad we're going just to lay down the law. I want to fight someone!" Felix was pacing around the plane. He kept talking but I didn't really bother listening.

We usually kept tabs on every coven; there were even nomads that call us when suspicions rose. Usually when a coven turns up out of nowhere, it can get dangerous. So we try to set all the rules straight; find them before they find us.

It had been a month since I let him go. There was no word of James what-so-ever, and the vampire world was very quiet. No one had committed a crime or done anything that needed to be questioned in weeks.

"Earth to Bella!" Felix snapped me out of my daze.

"Yeah, Felix?" I asked, turning towards him.

"I was just saying you should ask Aro to let us fight again, like when-"

He abruptly cut off with a grunt as Jane walked by him.

"Because we're all getting antsy," Jane finished.

"Sure. I'll ask him about it when we get back."

Felix mumbled something to Jane, but it was too low for me to hear.

We finally landed and ran straight from the plane platform with our cloaks.

It could be tough to find covens, but with Demetri, it wouldn't be too hard.

"Looks like we have to stay in the shadows today, I don't see a cloud in the sky. Just be careful Demetri," I told him.

He spaced out for a minute; searching. "It seems like we're not that far anyways."

Then he took off into the wilderness opposite from the direction of the city.

We didn't have to run for long, soon could smell the scent of three vampires. Eventually we came across one just finishing off a body. I took my place in front of everyone as we came to a stop.

He looked up from the drained body and immediately took us as a threat. He crouched and I threw my shield up around the four of us as caution.

Then he unexpectedly threw himself at me and I easily pushed him off. He flew into a tree and quickly got back on his feet.

To keep him from advancing Jane helped me out and he fell to the ground in sudden pain.

"You've obviously never seen us before," I said to him. "But I wouldn't recommend attacking me again."

I heard two other footsteps running toward us through the forest and there were two more vampires in front of me.

One man, one woman, and the one boy. He looked as young as Alec and Jane, who were turned around 13.

The man turned to the boy after looking at the four of us, "I told you to watch out."

He looked really familiar to me. If he had warned the boy about us, he couldn't be a newborn.

"Well then. We were told you were all newborns, but it seems only two of you are." The woman's eyes were too bright of a red to be a mature vampire. She had an odd amount of a human scent clinging to her. "It seems we don't have to explain all the rules then."

I kept eyeing the woman; she was hiding something.

Demetri stepped in beside me. I knew he could tell something was off too. "Please, tell us your names."

"This is Sveta, and Maxim," the man told us.

"And you?" I asked.

"I'm surprised you don't remember, Isabella. We had an encounter once. Although, you were quite busy at the time."

"Well, I've had a lot of encounters. You lose track after a while. Everyone's just so… disposable." I cracked a wicked smile and heard Jane snicker behind me.

"I suppose so. When you're a friend of James, you're easily forgettable. I'm Laurent."

I was silent. Laurent escaped James and Victoria after she created the army. He was the first we'd discovered when tracking the army down. He was very hostile towards us, which I'm sure he had picked up from James. I knew they'd stayed in contact. I wanted run up to him and demand he tell me where James was. Not that he would know anyways, James was manipulative and hid well.

"Did you create these two?" Demetri asked Laurent.

"Oh no, I don't have that much self control. I'm watching them as a favour to a friend."

Obviously his friend was James.

I finally spoke. "Why did he create them?"

"Oh Bella, you know James as well as I do. He doesn't share anything."

He was right. James had to have known we would check up on the two newborns sometime, and if he were present, I wouldn't have hesitated to kill him.

I wanted to know more, but our job here was done; we checked up on the new coven. My dad would want us out as soon as possible.

Jane realized this too, "You know our rules Laurent. Just make sure they follow them."

"I'd recommend to Sveta that she cut off her human ties. We wouldn't want to have to kill them all."

That was it. Felix put it all together faster than I did. Not only did James create two newborns for an unknown reason, but one of them still had connections to her human life.

I saw her swallow hard before we left.

I wasn't going to let this small piece of information on James get my hopes up. It could be decades before we heard anything again.

I found myself reluctantly wishing I'd never been part of the Volturi. That was the only reason all this trouble ever started.

On our way back to Italy, I was planning how I could escape the castle and Volturi to track down James. But I wouldn't make it by myself. I was strong enough to fight someone but my senses weren't enough to track down a vampire.

I wouldn't be allowed to leave anyways. Sometimes we let people leave for a short amount of time, but where would I go? My home had always been Volterra and my family was always the Volturi. The only other place I had was Forks, and that was out of the question. James would easily find us there together.

So I was stuck.

When we got back to Volterra a guard meeting was called.

I suppose I should have taken charge of the meeting but I couldn't find the professional Volturi side in me to do it. I let Demetri tell everyone what had happened.

"James created two newborns in Russia and left Laurent to watch them. We suspect Sveta stills has human ties, so we need to keep an eye on that."

My dad looked over to me.

"James?" He asked.

I took in a shaky breath. I hadn't had a real conversation with anyone, let alone my dad, for a month. A conversation was too much energy and it all ended in one place; Edward.

"I don't know, Dad. He's obviously got something up his sleeve. But he's too good a manipulator and I can't do anything."

I realized we were talking about this in front of the guard, but it's not like they wouldn't hear about it anyways.

He looked at me for a while before addressing everyone, "Get someone to keep watch on the newborn girl. We can't have her being so close to humans. If she can't take the warnings; we'll have some slaughtering to do."

Then he waved his hand to dismiss everyone, without another word about James.

Anger boiled inside me; was he really giving up?

"You can't be serious," I let acid leak through my voice. "You're not going to do anything about James?"

"I'm sorry, Bella," was all he said to me.

I was shocked. In all the years we wanted James dead, he wasn't willing to use creating and abandoning two vampires as an excuse.

"I'm so disgusted with you right now, you know that? In all the years James has threatened us since I killed his stupid mate, you won't use this as an excuse to find him and kill him? And now he's ruining my life, because he threatened Edward and we can't be together, and you're just standing by and letting it happen?"

"Bella, I'm sorry. But a vampire still associating with her human life is more of a risk for us right now and-"

I cut him off, "You know what? I'm sorry. I'm sorry that my real parents left me out in the street to die and you had to take me in. I'm sorry that I ever became a part of this stupid organization you like to call a guard! You're not protecting the vampire world; you're ruining it."

I knew I could be disowned… or even killed for saying that. But I couldn't even care. Aro thought me too much of a daughter to let anyone lay a finger on my precious little head. And today was the day I questioned a whole life of him being such a father to me.

**A/N - What'd you think? Please review! I also love knowing what you guys think will happen next, so let me know! As I always say, thanks so much to everyone who has taken the time to read and review! I just finished writing out the entire plot and story line for every major thing that happens until the end, so get excited I'm determined to finish this story.  
When it is all over, I do have outtakes set aside for you guys to read too.  
Also, I didn't proof read this chapter very much... sorry!**

**ready, set, REVIEW!**


	11. Reveal

**Disclaimer - I don't own anything from the Twilight Saga. I just like to borrow the characters.**

"Bella?" There was a knock at my door, and Felix's voice crept through, "Heidi will be back soon."

I had locked myself in my room for almost two days now. I didn't want to give my dad the satisfaction of me talking to him again. I may have been two hundred years old, but I was still stuck in the mind set of a seventeen year old.

We'd been waiting all these years for James to finally do something wrong. All the times he hung around the castle as a constant threat to all our lives. All the times Dad had said to me he was tired of worrying about me being in danger. And now he made it so Edward and I couldn't be together. My life was at rock bottom and it was all because of James and my dad was doing nothing about it.

"I'm not thirsty, Felix!" I shouted back. Which was a complete lie, I was always thirsty now.

"You know that's not true. Aro said you didn't have to talk to him, and you can leave right after."

It was too tempting. I got up from my bed and joined Felix down to the throne room.

When we arrived, everyone else was already in their issued places. All eyes were on me as I skipped passed my dad and stood beside Jane instead. I felt my dad's eyes burning a hole in my back as he took in what I just did – I wasn't even wearing my cloak.

A second later I heard the front castle doors open and smelled the scent of all the humans.

Dad started his usual speech, and I was practically bouncing up and down with anticipation.

When he finally finished, I attacked the human closest to me. She screamed and begged me not to kill her, she kept whining and telling me she'd do anything I asked.

"Oh, shut up," I said, snapping her neck and ripping my teeth into her.

I drank twice as much as I usually did. At a Volturi feeding, it was every man for himself, and I was quick today.

I felt stronger than I had in a while, I guessed it was all the blood and adrenaline in me from all the anger I had towards James and my dad. I was just leaving, disappointed I had no where for the adrenaline to go, when Dad called my name.

"Bella? Would you like to stay? We're conditioning today."

I scoffed at his use of the word 'conditioning' instead of just saying 'I'm letting you beat each other as long as you don't kill anyone.'

"You're actually speaking to me now? Wow, you must've worked up a lot of courage in these past two days."

He kept staring at me, with a look that would made me almost feel guilty.

"Fine. But no one should expect to win today; I had a big meal."

I stood in the centre of the room. "Who's up first?"

Heidi stepped forward, a smirked plastered across her face.

"I wouldn't be so cocky," Felix sang.

She stopped across from me and glanced at Felix. Before she could say anything back I lunged at her and she flew across the room. She fell to the ground and I heaved her up, pressing her face into the wall. I grabbed her wrists and dug my foot into her back.

She was trapped, and with one little tug her arms would be off.

We never went as far as flying limbs, but I was feeling a little adventurous and ripped them just a little.

She let out a cry and I let her go.

"Yeah, I wouldn't be so cocky Heidi," I spat at her.

All of a sudden, my face was against the floor and there was a foot in my back. My hands were pinned behind me and I couldn't move an inch.

"Who said I was talking to Heidi?" Felix said from behind me.

He had me there. And if we were in battle I'd be dead.

"I get it Felix," my voice was muffled by the floor, "I'm dead. Now get off of me."

He proceeded to sit on top of me, my hands still trapped.

God he was _heavy._

"Felix! Get off of me!" I lifted me head up to find everyone trying to muffle the sound of their laughter. "You're all just going to stand there?!"

I tried to roll of my stomach to throw Felix off of me. He didn't even notice my attempts until he was the one on the floor.

I got up and kicked him into the wall on the other side of the room. I proceeded to leave the throne room, and after the door shut I heard someone mutter inaudibly.

I quickly ran up to the room that looked over the throne room and listened to their conversation.

"She's not just mad at you; she told you, you were ruining the vampire world," Caius laughed.

They were talking about _me_… again.

"We thought she started acting different when Edward got here, but we learned it was just herself. This person that just threw me into the wall - she's not Bella. The Bella I know would've laughed along with us," Felix stated.

"She misses him; I don't blame her," Marcus said.

It was true. I missed him more than anything in the world. Felix was right, I felt more like myself around him. Now, without him, all I could ever do was be a monstrous vampire. I almost felt like a newborn again; so raging with blood lust and emotions.

"We could always get him back here, assure Bella we have no intentions of putting him in the guard," Jane said hesitantly.

I scoffed to myself, _like Dad would ever let that happen. _I was surprised Jane even spoke up about it.

"I'm afraid that's not happening."

_Knew it._

"I know we can't have James invading the Castle, but we'll be prepared. He'd be ripped apart in seconds," Alec said.

"Or I could just track him down," Demetri added.

"I'm afraid I can't invite Edward back," Dad countered.

"Why not?" Felix asked.

He hesitated and then said in a low voice, "I got a call from the Cullens this morning; Edward has gone missing."

I was as still as a vampire could be. If I were human I would've had a heart attack.

_Edward has gone missing._

He had to be kidding. He was kidding. Edward couldn't be missing. I let him go so this wouldn't happen. I left him with his family so he'd be safe.

This couldn't be happening.

"He's _missing_?" I heard Felix ask. "How is he missing?"

"He hasn't been home for two days, and didn't leave any remains of why or how," Dad answered. "But no one tells Bella of this, do you understand? The Cullens have informed me that they have it under control. I can't have Bella leaving, not with the risk of her going missing too."

Unfortunately for him I was one step ahead. I moved quickly, knowing I had to be at the airport by the time they were out of the throne room.

**A/N - please review! You're probably so tired of reading this, but I'd like to thank everyone who's been reviewing and reading and following and telling their friends! I really appreciate it all!**


	12. Home

**Disclaimer - Stephanie Meyer owns Twilight. Unfortunately all I can do is borrow her lovely characters.**

* * *

_Home,  
__Why am I everywhere but home?  
__Why do I feel so alone,  
__When everybody's screamin' out my name?  
__I just wanna go home,  
__Pack my bags and hit the road,  
__Knowing all I need to find is the life I left behind  
__I just wanna go  
__Home  
__~ Home, Paradise Fears_

* * *

"Please fasten your seat belts as we make our descend into Seattle, Washington," came over the speaker on the quiet, dark plane.

It was two a.m. and my connecting flight from Pennsylvania was finally landing.

I escaped through the window in my bathroom. As far as my vampire ears went, they hadn't left the throne room before I jumped over the garden wall.

All I carried with me to the airport was a backpack. I left my phone in my bedroom, whose door was most likely still shut. Everyone probably thought I was still in there - in all my angst. I'd used fake documents that were practically brand new, so they'd have more trouble tracking me down.

If my Dad found out I was going to Forks, he'd only blame the Cullens. My dad would be furious if he found out I went to them.

I suddenly felt guilty. I didn't leave anything behind. Not even a note.

Soon enough, I was travelling through the Seattle airport. I quickly stopped in the bathroom to change the coloured contacts. I didn't bother renting a car or taking a taxi. I simply slipped into the closest forest area and ran to Forks. I headed into the general direction. I'd never been to Washington before, and I certainly didn't know where the Cullens lived. I was just hoping to come across a scent once I entered the Forks woods.

Soon, the sun was up and I was walking through the town, trying to find some sign of where the Cullens might live. I hadn't realized how small the town really was. One second I was walking by small houses on a dirt road and the next I was walking down a fairly busy road. I doubted the Cullens went to very many of the shops and didn't bother going in.

Then I was stopped in front of the hospital. The scent of human vulnerability must of driven me there, but that's when I remembered Carlisle.

Carlisle was a doctor. Edward had told me once that in order for Carlisle to live the human life he still wanted, he trained to become a doctor, and built up a strong immunity to the scent of fresh human blood.

I wasn't sure how long I'd last, but I had to try going in.

Once the doors opened, the scent hit me like a ton of bricks. It wafted toward me like stepping out of the air conditioned house on a hot day. The sterile smell that most humans would smell was no match for the amount of different blood types filling the air. I held my breath, trying to control myself.

I wasn't a big hospital. It was exactly the right size a town like this would need to fulfill the car accidents in the winter, and the occasional animal attack in the woods.

I walked up to the receptionist and lowered my voice to match the quiet mood of the hospital… and so I wouldn't run out of the air I was holding.

She was older, probably around mid-40s. She wore glasses on a chain around her neck and was typing away at an old, buzzing computer.

"I'm looking for Carlisle Cullen," I told her.

She looked up at me from her computer.

"He's with a patient at the moment," she answered flatly.

I tried to keep myself from knocking her out. She was being too hostile for my liking.

"It's important. Is there anywhere I can wait for him?"

She clucked her tongue obnoxiously, "I suppose. His office is on the third floor. May I ask in what way you know Dr. Cullen?"

I rolled my eyes. "An old friend," I said simply before walking away.

She got off lucky. Who knows what could've happened had we not been in a public setting.

I quickly made my way to Carlisle's office. I finally came across a door clearly marked _C. Cullen_, and closed the door behind me.

The rude receptionist made me run out of oxygen quickly, and I need a breath of blood free air. I cranked open a window to let the air circulate and finally filled my lungs with oxygen.

I stood inside the office, waiting for Carlisle to be done with his patient.

What would I even tell him? 'I ran away from Volterra and the guard to help you find Edward. My dad can't know I'm here, though, because then he'll probably come after all of you.'

No, I didn't think that'd work out too well.

I felt guilty for even showing up. They probably wouldn't even want me to stay.

I would just explain that we all wanted to find Edward, and with my experience as a Volturi guard, I could help. If they didn't want me to stay, I'd leave and search for him on my own.

Familiar footsteps coming toward the door snapped me out of my thoughts, and Carlisle walked through the door.

He stopped when he saw me and then quickly closed the door.

"Bella? It's so good to see you! But may I ask, what are you doing here?"

My face fell. It was practically code for 'it's nice to see you but we don't need you here.'

"I'm sorry for intruding Carlisle. I heard about Edward, and I… I left."

Carlisle was once part of the Volturi, one of the few that were easily let go. I saw on his face that he immediately understood that I didn't have permission to leave.

I continued, "I thought I may be able to help you guys in some way. I couldn't just not do anything."

He nodded his head. "I understand, Bella. My night shift just ended, I can drive you back to our house if you'd like?"

I was surprised he even offered. But I couldn't refuse seeing my second family again.

"I would like that."

He smiled and I returned it. Maybe he didn't mind be being around after all.

He started towards the door, but I stopped him. "I think I'll take the window."

Understanding spread across his face. "As you wish, Bella. Although I'm surprised you made it up here. Even my family has problems being in here."

The ride to the Cullens house was filled with Carlisle updating me on everything that's gone on since they visited.

I reluctantly asked about Edward – knowing I wouldn't be seeing him…maybe ever again.

_No Bella, he's not dead. You'll find him._

"I'm not going to lie to you, Bella. He wasn't good," Carlisle told me. "He kept trying to leave and go back to Volterra, but we stopped him. Eventually, the only thing he found to distract himself was not feeding. Before he went missing, he'd gone two weeks without hunting."

I felt completely terrible. I should've just come back with the Cullens or found some other way to still be with Edward. But I thought letting him go would protect him and the rest of his family.

I sighed. "I'm sorry. This is all my fault."

"Don't beat yourself up about it, Bella. You were trying to protect him; you didn't know this would happen."

"It's still my fault."

That was when we pulled up to a grand white house in a clearing of the thick bush. It had windows towering three stories up, and a wrap-around porch. A few feet to the side was a garage that could easily hold five cars. As I got out of the car I heard a river rushing nearby.

Carlisle made his way through the house with me trailing behind him.

"I'm home," he said. Then, Esme was coming down the stairs to greet him.

She stopped dead in her tracks when she saw me.

"Look who I found," Carlisle said with a smile.

I waved hesitantly. "Hi, Esme."

Next thing I knew, Esme's arms were wrapped around me. "Oh Bella! We've missed you so much!" She pulled away and turned to look at Carlisle. "Does she know?"

"Yes," I interrupted. "That's why I came. I'm sorry if I'm intruding – but I couldn't stay in Volterra knowing he was missing. And considering no one even told me, I'm not even sure if I want to go back after all this is over. I'm here to help."

"You're not intruding! You're welcome to stay!"

"Esme, it could be dangerous. They don't know I left. I suppose they could've noticed by now, but I didn't leave with permission."

"Bella, you're family now. You're very welcome to stay with us," Carlisle said.

My heart swelled, with the amount of love radiating around the room.

The house was very quiet and I wondered where everyone else was.

"They're at school. They didn't want to go, but we have to keep up appearances. It's strange that Alice didn't see you coming, but she been having difficulty lately…" Esme answered my thoughts. "We should leave you to ponder. You're welcome to look around the house, maybe you'll pick up on something that we haven't yet."

They left into the dining room and sat talking.

It felt weird walking through the Cullen home. I felt as if I was intruding on their almost-perfect, almost-human life.

When I came across an unused bathroom, I stopped to take out the damn contacts.

Most of the rooms didn't have much of Edward's scent in them. But soon, I came across a room that almost looked like my Dad's and went inside.

I realized instantly that this would be Carlisle's study, and hoped this wasn't considered intruding.

A painting on the wall stopped me. I knew Carlisle was part of the Volturi once, but I hadn't realized he was so involved. The painting was of Carlisle, my dad, Caius, and Marcus.

I didn't let myself look at it for as long as I'd wanted. Seeing my dad just made me feel guilty.

Eventually I made my way all through the nooks and crevices of the house, trying to find something that may have clued where Edward was. The only place I had yet to be was the third floor. I slowly made my way up the stairs, about to give up on finding anything at all. There was one door at the top of the stairs, and I opened it to get a huge waft of Edward's scent.

This was his room.

Every where I'd been in this house, I'd felt like I was intruding somewhere I shouldn't have been. But here… I didn't. I felt comfortable – at home – just like Edward always made me feel.

There was a simple black couch on a rug in the centre of the room. Shelves filled with CDs and records filled a wall. The wall opposite to it wasn't a wall at all; it was a window looking out into the forest behind the house.

I made my way around the room. Part of me was scanning for a sign of where he might be, but a bigger part was enjoying the small part of Edward's normal life that I was getting to finally see.

So I was surprised when I came to his desk and found a small photograph. It was the two of us dancing at the ball before James showed up. He was smiling down at me, and I up at him. I sat on the black leather couch with the photo in my hand and let my vampire memory remember the moment perfectly.

**A/N - I'm sorry that this chapter is boring. I haven't been writing that much because of school and I really have no idea how long it's been since I've updated. I'm hoping for some kind of realization that will make the next chapter brilliant. But you will see the rest of the Cullens in the next chapter (except one...sorry!). Please REVIEW! I love to know what everyone thinks.**

**Also, if you didn't notice I put in a little song lyrics in the beginning that I thought were kind of fitting. It's a great song, I encourage you to check it out. And, I change the cover to the story a little. I just added a little quote I came up with. Theres a bigger image link on my profile, I'm hoping the link works but please let me know if it doesn't. :) **


	13. Family Ties

**ooohhhh lookie a chapter! Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer - Stephanie Meyer owns all aspects of the Twilight Saga and I just enjoy borrowing her characters**

"Bella! Bella I'm so glad you're here! We're so worried! But now you're here and you can help. You know I didn't even see you? My visions are like a TV without a signal; they're all fuzzy-"

"Alice, calm down."

Alice had me locked in a grip and was rambling into my ear. But Jasper cut her off and slowly pulled her away.

"I'm really glad to see you guys too. If it makes you feel better Alice, I didn't know about Edward until yesterday. And I came straight here; maybe my decision was too quick for you to see."

"No Bella, you don't understand. I didn't see the decision to take him. My vision was failing weeks before. I can't even see what I'm getting on my tests at school!"

"It's not normal," Jasper added.

"What do you think it is?" I asked quietly.

"We have no idea," Carlisle told me.

The room was quiet for a short second before Rosalie spoke up on what I hoped none of them had noticed.

"Bella? You haven't been feeding on animals anymore, have you?"

"Rosalie…" Esme scolded.

"No, I just thought that a Volturi may have actually had some sense for once."

I was immediately offended, and ready to defend myself. The Volturi was family. Vegetarian or not; they raised me.

"Excuse me?"

"I'm just surprised you gave up so quickly. You couldn't handle it, could you?"

Both our hands clenched into fists. Emmett gripped Rosalie's shoulder, and I felt Jasper's calming waves filling the room. They were trying to keep us from fighting.

I looked at both of them. "Just because I was raised as a Volturi doesn't mean I can't control myself."

"You sure about that?" Rosalie didn't give them a chance to respond to my words.

"Rosalie; Bella was in the hospital today for a good forty-five minutes, and she's never even been around open human blood like that before. Don't pretend that you don't have a hard time doing that."

I didn't think I was in there for that long. If the tension wasn't so thick, I would have smiled with pride.

I didn't have time to think of something smart to tell her, so I went for the cold, hard truth. "I can handle a lot, Rosalie. I can handle my parents abandoning me; I can handle killing a hundreds of vampires including immortal children; I can even handle killing a few humans without sucking their veins dry; but I'm sorry I couldn't handle Edward being gone after I'd finally found him."

I looked around the room at all the Cullens around me. "I'm sorry to all of you. It's my fault that Edward's gone missing; I only let him go to protect you all. I understand that you've lost a member of your family, but I just left the only family I've known. I'm here to do all I can to help… I'm not here to fight with you Rosalie. Believe it or not, fighting doesn't happen a lot in the castle."

I headed towards the stairs - I couldn't go into the woods here; it was too unfamiliar – and felt the thick layer of everyone's worry. "I'll let you know if I figure something out."

I ran up the two flights on stairs into Edward's room.

His scent around the room made me feel like it took an extra effort to breathe. My chest was filled with the hurt of his absence.

I stared out the floor length window, trying to think of somewhere Edward might be.

Nothing made sense. The Cullens didn't know anything, I didn't know anything. My dad might have known something, but I didn't stay long enough to find out. He wouldn't have helped me anyways. And I could ask some members of the guard, but they wouldn't dare go behind his back. I wouldn't blame them; he could find out through their thoughts at anytime, with any touch.

If only we had Demetri; he'd be able to find Edward.

I thought of how worried my dad must be. I left without one word… not even a note. I didn't want to call him. I was mad at him for not telling me about Edward.

If I hadn't had the sense to listen in on their conversation, I would have never known Edward was missing. He even told the guard not to tell me and claimed 'the Cullens had it under control,' when they obviously didn't. Alice's visions weren't even under control.

There was one thing I knew for sure. When we did find him; _I_ would be the one to kill whoever kidnapped him.

Somehow the sun had fallen and risen again, and I was still in Edward's room. The Cullen's – from what I heard – had been pretty quiet, and didn't interrupt my thoughts. At least until there was a knock at the door.

"Yeah?" I called toward it without turning my head.

I heard the door open and shut before hearing Alice's voice,"I'm sorry about Rosalie, we can't exactly control her."

"It's alright." I sighed.

"None of us are okay about this. We're all worried; nothing here is the same without Edward. He's our brother."

"I know. I'm trying to think of how this all happened but it's just not adding up," I told her.

"Thanks for coming to help, Bella. Even if some of us don't show it, we really appreciate it."

I smiled. "I appreciate you guys letting me stay here… I'm not exactly used to being outside the castle for a long time," I admitted.

"Well were happy to have you here, even if Edward isn't."

I stayed silent; tired of repeating myself.

"It's not your fault you know… Edward going missing. I don't know who did this, but Edward wouldn't have just gone on his own; there had to of been something to persuade him."

I scoffed. "I was thinking about that. I'm so mad at him."

When I found him; he was in so much trouble. It didn't matter what they were using to get him to leave, I didn't believe it was good enough.

"Don't worry, I am too. Why didn't he just tell us he was leaving? It doesn't make any sense!"

"Maybe something will show up, but all we can do now is wait. I'm not sure how long it will take; we'll have to be patient."

"Well, Esme is letting Jasper and I stay home today, I have a headache from these fuzzy visions. You could come hunting with us if you'd like…?" she was hesitant to ask; I knew it was because of the argument I had with Rosalie yesterday. But it really didn't matter to me.

I wasn't sure about going though. I'd only done it once with Edward. I wasn't sure if I could without him. There _was_ a reason why I hadn't been hunting animals.

"I don't know…" I told her.

She looked at me and if she was trying to read my mind… kind of like Edward did. "…It reminds you too much of him, doesn't it?"

I nodded, afraid of the words that may come if I spoke.

"You know… there's a lot more variety here in Forks, we could find a carnivorous animal; they taste a little better."

My mood lifted slightly and Jasper walked into the room.

"If you insist," I replied.

Hunting with Alice was uneventful. I couldn't concentrate enough and the animal blood tasted like… animal blood.

I sat in the Cullen's living room. It was all anyone ever did in the Cullen house. I'd never been part of the household when Edward was around but I could imagine that it wasn't usually like this.

The television in front of me was off. I needed to think. I needed to understand what was going on.

The bickering upstairs didn't help much.

"Rosalie, I think you should apologize."

"Are you crazy? You're crazy. Has someone replaced my husband with someone else? I'm not apologizing, Emmett. I told her everything, because Edward wanted me to help her understand why we drank animal blood. And then, she has the nerve to stop?"

My head was in my hands. If it would've helped, I'd have plugged my ears. Unfortunately it wouldn't have helped.

Suddenly there was a presence beside me, their arm around my shoulders. I lifted my head out of my hands.

"Don't mind Rosalie," Esme whispered to me, "She just misses her brother."

"I miss him too." My head fell back into my hands again, and I felt the familiar pang through my chest as I thought of him. "Oh God, I miss him so much. But none of it makes sense. It doesn't fit." My voice shook and cracked.

And for some reason I really missed my family back in Volterra at that moment. Yet, I felt completely at home with Esme's motherly arm around me.

"You miss your family." It was a statement, not a question.

**A/N - speaking of Stephanie Meyer (well not for you but I just typed out the disclaimer) I started reading the host and I'm not very far but it's sosososo amazing! I missed her writing!**

**Anyways, I hoped you enjoyed the chapter; let me know by reviewing! **


	14. Five Days, One Call

**Disclaimer - As always, The Twilight Saga belongs to Stephanie Meyer!**

The television was playing softly in the next room. A house full of vampires didn't exactly need it up all the way.

I sat at the dining room table with the phone next to me. I felt as though the inanimate object was eyeing me; taunting me.

But we had tried Edward's cell many times and it always went straight to voice mail. He wouldn't be calling back.

It was day five. Five days of Edward being missing. Three days of me being in Forks.

_And here is our long term forecast. As you can see this system is moving in off the pacific coast and will cause high winds and downpours within the next five days… _The television continued murmuring.

There it was again; _five days._

It was five days too long for my liking.

I heard footsteps coming towards the dining room and looked up to see Carlisle and Esme with comforting smiles.

At first the smiles gave me a pang of hope. But it quickly drifted away as they sat down across from me.

"Bella…" Carlisle started. His voice was persuading – something my ears didn't find very pleasing. "Esme was telling me of you missing your family, and we thought maybe you should call them."

My face scrunched up in displeasure. If I called, they'd just come get me.

"You don't realize what that means…" I answered quietly. "It means they'll expect me to go back. And that's not happening until Edward is found."

"It's possible they might have some kind of information-"

"My dad's pretty set on not helping. He didn't want to get involved. I'm not sure why though, he loves Edward." I interrupted Carlisle.

"Ever thought that maybe whoever took Edward, might have threatened the Volturi too?"

"We don't take threatens seriously." I wasn't budging. I didn't want to call.

"You don't have to tell them of where you are, sweetie," Esme told me. "We just think they should know you're okay."

The guilt in me grew stronger. I'd left without one word to anyone. Demetri couldn't even find me because my mind was blocked.

Edward had left without a word to anyone, we hadn't heard from him at all.

Esme was right, they deserved to know I was safe.

Without a word I picked up the phone beside and walked into the room where the television was on.

I wasn't calling my dad, though. I'd call someone less suspecting.

I punched in the familiar number and listened to it ring. I was caught between wishing he would pick up and wishing it would keep ringing.

"Hello?" I heard Felix on the other end and my finger hovered over the _End_ button.

I gulped and opened my mouth. "Hey, Felix."

Silence.

I heard footsteps and then a door closing on the other end. I knew I could trust Felix.

"Bella, is that you? We've been worried sick! Aro threatened us all at least five times to be on the chopping block! Where the hell are you?"

"Do you really think I'm going to tell you where I am, Felix?"

He was quiet for a second. "Bella, why did you leave?"

I scoffed. "Don't even start with me; don't talk to me like I'm stupid! You know exactly why I left. Why did no one tell me?!"

I was shouting into the phone, but Felix didn't shout back.

"We can't just ignore something you're dad tells us to do. And as for him not doing anything, there are other priorities that come first. You know that."

He was right. A missing vampire wasn't at the top of our list.

"Go find my dad, I want to talk to him."

I heard him scoff, "I can't show up at his room."

"Felix, you're making a big deal out of nothing-"

"Did you not hear how many times he's threatened to murder me?"

"Just knock and give him the phone."

"But what if he's busy?"

"If he finally talks to me and knows I'm okay he won't be so mad anymore, just go give him the phone."

It was silent and then I heard air rushing by the microphone. I heard a fist connect with wood and hinges squealing as a door opened.

"Aro, I'm sorry to bother you. But I think you should take this." Felix spoke before my dad had the chance to.

_Good idea_, I thought.

Then there was rustling and soon a breath came through the phone.

"Hello?" my dad asked.

"Dad?"

"Bella?" He let out of rough sigh of relief. "Oh my gosh, it's really you. Do you know how worried I've been? Are you okay? Where are you? We're coming to get you."

"Dad, no," I said sternly.

"What do you mean, 'no'?" his voice was threatening.

"I mean, I'm fine but I'm not going back; not until I find Edward."

He growled. "Who told you?"

I scoffed. "You did."

"Bella-"

He kept talking but something caught my ear on the TV.

_After the sudden disappearance of Sveta Maslov – in Perm, Russia – her family was found in their home last night piled gruesomely on top of each other. Russian Police force say they were brutally murdered without weapons__,__ but with someone's own two hands. They suspect the work of a serial killer. _

I watched the TV with wide eyes. Sveta was the newborn James had created. At a first, unknowing look I guessed the murder of her family was her own fault. But as I kept watching, my trained eyes saw this not the work of a newborn, but a skilled vampire.

The screen then showed a reporter outside of Sveta's home, with thick woods behind it. He was interviewing a police officer. But I wasn't paying attention to them, because in the thick forest behind them, I saw the very face I wanted to murder, and the one face I'd wanted to see the most for a month.

I gasped and fell back into the couch behind me.

No. This wasn't possible.

I hadn't realized I said my thoughts aloud until Carlisle was rushing into the room a second later. "Bella, what happened?"

I looked down at the phone in my hand and heard my dad shouting at me on the other line.

Alice was then bounding down the stairs, "Bella! Bella I saw something! It was Edward! It's fuzzy but it's definitely Edward!"

From the phone I heard my dad still shouting, but one word stood out the most, _Cullen._

He could them in the background, and now he definitely knew where I was.

The finger that continued to hover over the _End_ button pressed down and the shouting cut off. Then it quickly pressed the _Talk_ button and punched in a number.

I looked at Alice and Carlisle, "Is everyone going to Russia? How many tickets do we need?"

Somehow Alice caught herself up, but Carlisle looked confused.

"Bella? What's going on?"

"We're getting Edward back."

**A/N - sorry about the shortness, but that last chapter was too and I hate to keep dwelling on this when I know theres other stuff coming. what'd ya think? Review and let me know!**

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	15. Unsafe Comfort

**Disclaimer - Stephanie Meyer owns the Twilight Saga and all it's glory, I simply borrow the characters!**

"Are you sure you all want to come? I don't know how safe it'll be…"

I didn't want to risk losing one of the Cullens, I'd grown too close to them to not worry.

"Bella you worry too much. We're getting Edward back; of course we want to go!" Emmett replied.

"You still can't see anything?" I said towards Alice. She hadn't seen anything since I was on the phone with my dad.

She shook her head.

"Might as well keep going then."

I got into the car with Alice and Jasper, and Rosalie and Emmett took a car with Carlisle and Esme.

The trees went by quickly, and if I were human they would have blurred right by. Within seconds we were out of Forks, and heading to Seattle.

Alice and Jasper were quiet, probably suspecting my unease without Edward. Jasper drove and Alice sat in the passenger seat with her eyes closed to try and get past the 'fuzz over her visions' – as she called it.

I had already booked a hotel in Russia for the Cullens to stay in. In a way, I was lucky that Alice's visions were fuzzy, so they didn't see my plans to ditch them there. I couldn't have them in danger, not when I was already so close to losing Edward.

It worried me what would happen if and when I did find him. I wouldn't leave him alone again, even when I did rid our lives of James.

We made it quietly through the airport and I used my connections as a Volturi to get straight through security and first class on a direct plane.

I sat next to Carlisle on the plane. He was the most reasonable and I knew I could fill him in on everything with James.

"I'm curious, Bella. What happened with James in the first place?"

I sighed. I knew someone would ask sometime, I just didn't want to explain.

"Well, I'm sure Edward told you about me killing his mate. She built a newborn army of about twelve. We interrupted before it got out of hand, and she got in the way. I was forced to kill her. Afterwards, we found out James had nothing to do with it, he can't even tell us why she did it."

He nodded to let me know he was following.

"James came after me, but he never tried to kill anyone. At first, he'd threaten us; which we never took seriously. But then he just started showing up randomly. We keep an eye on all vampires, whether they know about us or not; but then _he_ started keeping an eye on _us_. Sometimes we won't see him for decades, but he always shows up.

"He's wanted revenge for a long time, Carlisle, and once he knew I found Edward, he threatened him too."

His eyebrows furrowed together. "I thought it was dangerous when I was there, but you're in a lot more trouble now than I ever thought was possible with the Volturi. I can't help but be surprised that you haven't left."

"The castle feels safe to me, being out makes me anxious. My dad's made sure that I've been out of the castle enough to be educated of the world, but I always came back…" I trailed off. The thought of going back made me wonder what would happen when this was all over.

"Are you going back this time?" He asked sincerely.

"Honestly? I have no clue; I'd love to stay in Forks, but I _am_ a Volturi. No matter how old I get, it'll always be part of me," I replied.

"I think you should do whatever your heart tells you to do; if you chose to stay with us, we'll be happy to have you."

"Thanks. But," I scoffed, "it's all hollow in there you know. It'll be my head that's deciding."

Carlisle didn't laugh at my half-hearted joke. His eye brows lowered.

"Did Edward ever tell you what he thinks of us?" He asked suddenly.

"I don't understand."

"Edward believes that when I changed him, he lost his soul."

I couldn't recall Edward ever telling me of this. I'd never really thought about it myself, though. It made me wonder; _would_ I ever die?

A possible interaction with James was just around the corner and I didn't know what would come of it.

Meanwhile, Carlisle was waiting for my reply.

Edward had done so much for me; so much he didn't even know. He changed me. With him, I felt more myself, and that's what made him worth the two hundred years of waiting.

If he didn't have a soul then something much greater and more valuable was in its place.

"He's wrong," I replied. My voice was a small whisper.

It was silent between the two of us for a second. Carlisle seemed to be pondering with his thoughts, and I wondered what he would ask next. He was obviously very interested, and I honestly didn't mind too much.

"What… what do you remember of your human life? If you don't mind me asking." Carlisle finally asked.

"Nothing," I replied.

"At all?"

I shook my head. "Except Alec finding me… nothing at all."

He thought about that and then replied, "You know Alice doesn't remember anything of her human life either. From what we've dug up, her parents put her in an insane asylum, we think it's because she could see the future in her human life too."

I laughed dryly. "I guess we all have something in common… you know – vampires."

"But we're all unique in some way."

"If you don't mind me asking, why did you join the Volturi? How'd you get to living this way?"

He laughed. "I don't mind at all. When I was changed, humans were aware of some other kind. My father was a priest and I was changed while trying to hunt down a group of vampires. Once I realized what I was, I did all I could to… rid myself."

I was surprised at Carlisle's words. He had such compassion for anything living.

"When I found out there was such thing as a leader for us, I wanted to learn. I'd always been a thorough person, and I wasn't about to make up my own rules."

"So you joined," I spoke my thoughts aloud. "But how did they just let you go?"

"My diet."

I scoffed. "That doesn't surprise me."

"I've known Aro for a long time, I consider him a good friend."

"So how'd you get such a great family? I know you changed Edward and Rosalie…"

"I changed Emmett and Esme too," he said proudly. "Jasper was born into a newborn army, and Alice's vision led her to him and they both came to us."

"Wow."

In some ways, the Cullens were a lot like the Volturi. They had a special, family-like connection. Most of them had been turned by Carlisle, like we were by Aro.

No wonder my dad didn't want their coven growing anymore.

"Do you guys ever wonder why my dad finds you threatening?" I said, without thinking.

"Sometimes."

"You're a lot more like us then you might think."

I quickly snapped my mouth shut, realizing that this could be taken as an insult. "I mean-"

"No, I know. We are very similar…"

Again, he seemed to want to say more. And I knew exactly what it was.

"Go ahead."

"Pardon?"

"I know exactly what you're about to say so go ahead."

"Well…"

"You don't kill," I interrupted. "It's okay, I'm aware. I don't have much of a problem with that; you know what I'll do to James when we find them."

I could tell the other Cullens behind on were listening, and when we fell quiet they started talking of irrelevant things in hushed whispers.

Except Esme, I heard her say under her breath too low for a human to hear, "That's too dangerous."

I knew Carlisle heard this too because he glanced at me and got up to sit with her.

I heard Carlisle asking the human beside Esme if they could switch seat for just a few minutes. He easily agreed and sat beside me. I couldn't help but notice how good he smelled and hoped that Carlisle would be quick.

"Carlisle, I'm worried about her."

"She's lived with the Volturi for a long time, we're lucky to have right now." They talked low, but I could still hear.

"You were with them once."

"It wasn't as dangerous as it is now."

"You know, she'll want to stay with Edward after this."

"They have to decide where they want to be, we can't do that for them," Carlisle told her.

Maybe that's exactly what we'd have to do, decide together. But first I had to get him back.

Soon the plane made it's descend into Moscow. We'd have to find another method of transportation to the hotel in Perm. I'd rather run, but I knew that just showing up to a hotel would seem odd; we'd have to rent a car. A taxi was out of the question for me, the drivers were always too slow. I was impatient today.

We quickly made our way through the airport and rented a couple cars to drive to the airport. I insisted on driving this time, so that I could lead the other car to the hotel.

I quickly check us in; I got two joining rooms so they'd be close together. And soon we were all sitting in a loose circle around one of the rooms.

They were discussing where to start and I realized I was the only one being quiet. It was twilight outside and I knew I'd have to act quickly to be able to leave them with suspicion. There was only one problem, I didn't know what to say, or what to tell them. I'd never been able to think quickly… unless I was in battle.

Maybe I could just tell them that I needed to take a walk or something and persuade them that we shouldn't go until later at night.

I knew the Cullens would easily let me go if I used that excuse… but I'd have to wait until later, until the sun was fully set, to go the crime scene. I was hoping the police would be finished with the house by now; it had almost been two days.

"What do you think Bella?" Alice's question made me jump.

"Sorry, what?"

I saw Rosalie roll her eyes.

"Do you think we should check the woods around the house first? The location of the house is really out of the way, but we thought it'd be better to go around the middle of the night..."

I thought about that for a second. I pretended to think about what Alice had asked instead of how I could get away from them.

If I made up an excuse to leave now, they'd go with their plan to not leave until the middle of the night.

"I think that'll be alright," I said without missing a beat.

They really valued my opinion and I felt bad about lying, but I was protecting them and I didn't feel bad about that.

I stood up from where I was sitting by the window. "I'm just going for a walk. Look around the neighborhood a bit. Don't worry I've been here a bunch of times."

Only half of what I said was a lie. I was hoping that maybe I could go in and get out quick enough without the Cullens becoming suspicious.

But when had my life _ever_ been that easy?

**A/N - ahhh! I've got some very exciti****ng chapters coming! Who's excited to get Edward back? I definitely know I am! Please review!**


	16. A Smiling Enemy

**disclaimer - Stephanie Meyer owns Twilight, blah blah blah, I don't.**

I made my way down the vacant street at a human pace. I told myself to go slow in case someone might be nearby but Twilight was all gone and deep down, I was scared.

So many _what ifs_ were running through my head I could barely make sense of them all.

I was disappointed when the house came into view; I hoped I would have more time to figure myself out. But the very thought of Edward drew me faster towards the house.

I crept around the house staying flat against the wall and quickly glanced inside the house through the living room window to find it completely empty. All the bodies had been taken out, but I could smell that the house had not be cleaned, the scent of stale human blood lingered.

It was eerie… too quiet. The quiet of a vampire.

I wondered where James could be hiding Edward here. Carlisle told me if Edward hadn't fed while in James' possession he'd be going at least three weeks without feeding, and that was long enough to significantly weaken a vampire.

To top off the stale blood, I could smell James and Edward's scent _everywhere_.

As quiet as possible, I ran through the surrounding woods. There were many trails of both their scents laid out. But I knew my way through them well, my trained senses detected that it was all to trick me into going a different direction.

It was pitch black outside now, but my vampire eyes could see as clear as day.

I followed the freshest scent I came across. It looped through the woods and back to the house. As I followed it back to the small clearing where the house nestled, a tree caught my eye.

It was significantly bent in half. The stump had a dent in it and scratches that only claws or vampire nails could create. It was the only sign of a struggle I found, and it made me wonder if there was anything similar back in Forks.

The scent led me straight to a back window and before going in I circled around the house. No scent as fresh as the one by the window caught my nose and I decided that no one had come out since. The house was small but had two stories, and I suspected that someone awaited me up there.

Being a Volturi taught me well and I went through the front door instead of the window at the back. A trap could easily be set up for me there.

The wooden floorboards creaked underneath my feet and I lightened my step. The inside of the house was muggy and dark. It only consisted of two rooms.

My light footsteps rang loudly through the empty house as I looked around the first floor to make sure no one was there.

It wasn't until I went toward the back of the house to check the kitchen before I heard the sounds upstairs. It was odd, almost like a light knocking.

Then a crash.

Then a whisper.

I froze mid-step as my ears strained to listen for more.

When I didn't hear anything else I skipped the kitchen and went to the stairs instead. I lightened my footsteps even more as I slowly made my way up the stairs, trying to put surprise on both sides.

When I got to the top of the stairs there was a short hallway in front of me with two doors on each side.

I listened closely to find which door they could be in, but heard nothing. Not even a breath.

So I decided to do what I do best; be a Volturi.

"You know James, I'm surprised you were smart enough to even think of a set up this elaborate." My voice was strong, and I didn't miss a beat."No, really, if you taught Victoria some of your ways she might have actually gotten away. But getting into that shoot on the news? Really? James, I thought you were a little smarter than that."

No reply, no breath.

I hit lower; I played it like I had no idea.

"So where is he James? I know you haven't killed him yet. What are you waiting for?"

That's when I heard a breath. Only one. But a breath I would know anywhere.

I silently went to the last door on the left, and carefully twisted the handle.

But before I could get it open the door exploded around me as my body went straight through and wooden shards rained down. I looked through the many falling pieces to see the room I was in.

It was completely empty except for one body chained to wooden post that supported the house beside me.

Edward.

A sigh of relief came out through my lungs. He was here.

"Edward?"

His head was lolled to the side and I took it in my hands.

"Bella," he breathed out.

"A-hem?"

I reluctantly took my eyes away from Edward to find James tapping his foot in the doorway.

I didn't even bother to let him keep talking, I launched myself across the room at him and we went through the hall and into another doorway.

I landed on top of him and tried my best to pin him down as I got a hold of his shirt in my hands and banged his head over and over against the floor. But it wasn't enough – too soon he had his own grip on me and I was against the wall.

He pinned me and I could barely wiggle out.

"Don't you want to hear what I have to say, Isabella? It's pretty good."

"What did you do to him?!" I yelled at him.

"Oh, that's his own fault… I simply got lucky. I don't think any vampire has tried to go quite so long without feeding; he's barely conscious. He's strong though, he hasn't stopped trying to escape."

As if on cue there was a snapping sound from Edward's hostage room and James groaned and threw me behind him.

He blurred out of sight. I got up and chased after him.

He stopped and turned swiftly, catching me off guard as he grabbed a hold of my neck and forced me through the floor. The floorboards and supports shattered around me and I fell through to the main floor.

He had pressed me so hard through that I felt as if I was in shock. My neck hurt and I struggled to get air in my lungs.

As I looked up through the broken ceiling I saw James smiling wickedly down at me. Then he jumped through and landed on top of me. The floorboards I was laying on creaked with the weight.

"Now that you're restrained shall I go on?"

"Why… haven't…you-" my words came out weak as James crushed my rib-cage.

James clucked his tongue, "If you want answers you'll have to listen, it's quite the plan really. Although I'm surprised you didn't figure out that _I_ was the one messing with your friend's visions."

The look on my face was of pure confusion.

"Just because the Volturi have spies, doesn't mean the rest of us can't. Sveta and Maxim weren't just distractions for the Volturi. It's a shame I had to kill them though… one almost let out poor old Edward. You see, I've been spying on you for a _very _long time, Isabella."

"What… are you… talking about?" I struggled to get the words out.

"Who do you think killed your parents?"

My head spun. My eyes stung with tears that would never fall. All I saw was red.

Somehow I threw James off of me and he fell into the old refrigerator in the kitchen.

Now I was the one on top of him.

"You're lying," I snarled.

"Oh but I'm not. Your little power was quite obvious when you were a child. At the time one of our members could sense the power of someone's mind; how smart they were. Quite a useless talent until you came along. My coven has been plotting to take down the Volturi for years and you've always been the key. It's a shame I'm the only one left but I plan to go through with it all."

I was silent.

My whole life was some plot.

A scheme to take down my family.

James kept talking, "We planned to have you on our side but then Alec got to you before we could… it worked in our favour though, because then the target was on _your_ back and if you go down, the Volturi does too."

I felt dizzy. "I- I don't understand."

My hands shook as I lost control of myself.

James took the advantage and threw me into the stairs.

He stood and stalked slowly towards me as I struggled in the rubble and emotions that filled me.

"Let me explain this more simply then; I've been dictating your whole life. You're parents, the army, kidnapping your mate. It was all just a clever plan to take you down."

Then he lunged at me. I struggled in the pile of mangled stairs to get him off of me. His hand shoved my chin backward. I felt the tear in my neck and screamed in pain.

My hands flew to his wrist to try and restrain him and I feared that his plan was coming to a successful close.

Suddenly, he stopped, and I no longer felt his weight on top of me. I felt the venom in my system stitch the skin back together and shot up from the ground.

I didn't even bother to see where James was or why he gave up; I bolted to the second floor and found Edward against the ground. The wooden support he was attached to had snapped in half.

"Edward? Can you hear me?"

I knelt down beside him and tore the chains around him. They were very rusted and easy to break.

His eyes fluttered. "Bella," he croaked out.

"Edward! I'm so sorry! I was so stupid!"

"I love you, Bella," he said more clearly.

I picked up his head in my hands and kissed his forehead. "I love you too."

"I'm so sorry, James… he tricked me!"

"He tricked all of us."

He looked at me with nothing but love.

"I'm sorry he did that to you."

He heard. He heard everything that James said to me downstairs.

"I guess none of it made sense until now."

The house underneath us interrupted our reunion with a loud groan.

"Bella?"

"Yes?"

"I think we should move… snapping this support wasn't one of my best ideas."

Then I caught on, the house was about to collapse right underneath us.

And so it did.

**A/N- *hides* I know, I know. Stupid cliffies! But the next chapter is almost done and I shall get it up asap. I have this whole week off of school so I've been writing a lot, and I'm sad to say that this story is almost done. BUT! I do have a possible sequel in mind and a bunch of outtakes that I'd love to post also.**

**Ready, set, REVIEW!**


	17. Rescue

**Disclaimer - Stephanie Meyer owns all things Twilight, I just enjoy borrowing her characters**

I clung to Edward as the wood collapsed around us, and heard the clunk as we fell onto the concrete foundation the house once sat on.

Edward groaned beside me. He was so weak from not feeding, I wondered if he could even stand. I pulled him up to find the concrete under his head cracked.

Then I realized… _where was James?_

I quickly moved all the wood out of the way and stood up, pulling Edward along with me. He slumped against my shoulder, and I tried my hardest to hold most of his weight.

"You need blood," I muttered to him.

I looked around at the dark, empty clearing in front of me to find no one in sight. But I could still feel another presence.

Then I turned to find the Cullens on lined up in front of the line of trees. Emmett and Jasper had James pinned so he couldn't run.

I knew I was completely to blame for this whole mess and smiled at them apologetically.

Esme was the first to react to Edward slumped against me."Edward," she sighed.

I could hear James struggling against Emmett and Jasper but I didn't bother looking at him. I still could quite wrap my head around everything.

Carlisle came over to help me with Edward, and we brought him over beside Esme and laid him on the ground.

"Rosalie, could you go kill something nearby?" Carlisle asked.

She scowled but complied anyway.

Now that Edward was taken care of I had some other business to attend to.

I snapped my head over to look a James and he didn't bother to smile wickedly; he looked properly scared for once.

"I'm not done with you yet."

I grabbed James by the throat and slid him across the ground. He got up and started charging back at me and the Cullens looked startled.

"Don't worry," I said shoving him back, "he's just trying to finish his job. Guess what James? It's not going to work."

He came at me a second time and I lunged at him. We both flew across the yard and landed at the base of the destroyed house. I quickly got up from beside him and used my foot to dig his face into the ground.

I pulled at his arms and tore them right off, then threw them into the pile of destroyed wood. He yelled in pain. "That's for Edward."

Then I took my foot off his head and dug into his back. My hands went around his head and pulled it back towards me. I heard the rip in his neck.

Surprisingly kept quieter than I thought, he only growled.

"This is for my parents lives."

Then I ripped his head off.

I threw the last of his body into the ruble. I took out the lighter from my pocket and watched the house go up in flames.

My chest felt heavy with all this new information but my shoulders felt light; the weight on my life was gone.

"Bella?" Edward's voice was clear and strong and that brought a new hope to me.

He was here. He was alive.

I turned to find him standing with his family and looking at me with worried eyes. "Are you okay, love?"

In that moment, I didn't care that his family was standing right there or that James' burning body was behind us. I ran up to Edward and wrapped my arms around his neck. His arms wrapped tight around me and my legs went around his waist. My head went into his neck and all I could do was tearlessly cry.

I just learned that my whole life was some stupid plan to bring down the Volturi.

Having Edward made it better though, I felt whole again with him here. His arms were the only thing that felt safer then the castle in Volterra.

Somehow I ended up back in the hotel room.

My head was burrowed into Edward's chest. His hands were softly rubbing my back.

"Thank you," I whispered into him.

He seemed startled by my sudden words. But then I felt is face in my hair.

"Shouldn't I be the one thanking you?"

I laughed. "I'm thanking you because you're here."

Then he pulled away and looked down at me. His hands unwound themselves from my back to grab my face.

"Are you okay? Do you want to talk about it?"

I swallowed hard. "I just-" a lump rose in my throat and I tugged at it to make it go away. "My whole life was just… a scheme. A plan – to take down the people that raised me.

"I didn't think I'd be okay, but then you were there and now I feel like… Maybe it's not so bad if my angel is still here."

He smiled at me but it didn't quite hit his eyes. "What angel?"

I just about slapped him right there. "Carlisle told me about that… you're wrong, you know."

He started to talk but I interrupted.

"You've made me so much more then myself. I didn't even know who I was before you. I've just always been a Volturi. But now… I'm just me. If there's no soul in there," I said placing my hands on his chest, "then there is something of so much more value in its place."

He smiled down at me; his eyes were full of love. "I love you. And thank you for saving me."

I looked up at him and leaned forward. Soon my lips pressed against his carefully. His lips were just as gentle. We were perfectly in sync, we perfectly fit together.

Finally I pulled away, and looked into his eyes. "I love you too."

Suddenly the door burst open, and in came Emmett. "I hate to break up your little love fest but we all need to talk." Then he shut the door behind him, laughing all the way.

I tried to get up, but Edward caught my wrist and pulled me back down.

"Do we have to?" he complained.

"Yes, Edward. Come on."

He held my wrists in both his hands. "Nope, you're my prisoner."

"Too bad I'm a Volturi, Cullen."

Then I shoved him off of the bed and he fell with a thud.

"Hey! That's not fair!"

I got up off the bed to and went around to him.

"All is fair in love in war."

Then he got up. He wrapped his arm around my waist and led me into the next room.

All the Cullens were in a circle again, like last night. Esme got up the moment she saw us and hugged me tight - even though Edward still had me pressed up against his side.

"We're so glad you're okay now, Bella."

I hugged her back. "Thanks, Esme."

She let go and gave me a warm smile then went to stand beside Carlisle.

"Unfortunately, we have some important things to discuss. Bella, Edward - it has come to our attention that you have a decision to make."

Edward squeezed my waist, signaling me to speak first.

"There is no decision. I'm not leaving again and I'm not letting Edward live in the castle - I'd like to go back to Forks."

I saw Rosalie's eyes narrow and Edward growled at her. Then he looked down at me.

"Bella, I can't take you away from your family. You need them now more than ever."

I knew he was right; I had a great yearning inside of me to see my family again. I swallowed and look at all the Cullens in front of me – their warm smiles encouraging me to make the right decision.

"But… even if you don't feel the same way about me, you guys are my family. My second family. I can't lose you guys when I just got you back. I've lived with the Volturi for two hundred years, and they're just going to have to deal with it."

Suddenly Edward's arm was gone from my waist and Emmett was squeezing me tight. "We're happy to have you, Bells!"

I laughed. "Thanks, Emmett."

"We really are, Bella. You are very welcome to stay with us," Carlisle said.

"Thanks, it really means a lot."

"Bella, can I talk to you… just for a second?" Rosalie asked suddenly.

Edward growled and started pulling me behind him. I caught his shoulder and he looked at me.

"Edward, its fine."

He reluctantly let me go and I followed Rosalie into the other room.

I shut the door behind me. I didn't know Rosalie well, but I knew that she didn't want to make a scene again. I didn't either, and I felt bad about the other day.

Before I could ask what was going on, Rosalie spoke.

"Bella, I'm sorry. It was wrong of me to be so judging, and I'm truly grateful that you saved my brother. And," she lowered her voice, "I'll be proud to one day call you my sister."

Her words took me back a little. I knew she would apologize sometime – we were very alike in that way. But that she even thought of me as part of the family truly touched me. Edward and I hadn't even thought of maybe one day getting married and having a wedding. We haven't even really been together for _that _long.

I remembered way in my past when Marcus told me about his mate, who had passed a long time ago. He never brought it up because it still hurt so much.

He had said, "When you become a vampire, all your emotions are heightened. And when you find that _one_ person, the strongest emotion of all becomes love. Humans fall in and out of love all the time, and sometimes it can take a while to find that person. But as a vampire you either know or you don't."

"What's it like?" I asked him.

"It's unlike anything in the world. It's like all the stars and planets and trees and animals were made just so you could have that person. It's like suddenly they're the person who is keeping you alive – that's why vampires don't need hearts… it's 'cause we _know_ when we've found that person."

He'd told me that when I was human. A few weeks before I was turned.

"Thank you, Rosalie," I finally said. And embraced her with a hug I would give a sister.

But something in the other room caught our attention and we pulled away.

"Alice! Alice what do you see? Edward?"I felt Jasper panicking from a room away.

The door opened behind me and I turned to see Edward.

"Bella, we have to get back to Forks."

**A/N - Review and let me know what you think! I'm currently not having the best time writing the next chapter and reviews would definitely help keep me motivated! I also love hearing you ya'll think will happen next, so let me know! The stats on this story are cray cray, and again I'm thanking all of you for your support! **


	18. Entrust

**Disclaimer - Stephanie Meyer owns the Twilight Saga which unfortunately mean that I do not. **

"Alice?!" Jasper was still trying to get Alice out of her daze.

"Edward, what's going on? Why do we have to get back to Forks now?" I asked him.

"Alice's vision – your family is waiting for us back in Forks."

"Waiting for us?"

"More like waiting to attack us," Emmett answered.

"Why?" Rosalie asked.

"Because Bella ran to _us_... at least that's what I'm getting from it. Aro doesn't exactly trust us - she pointed that out to Carlisle on the way here," Alice answered.

"You've _got _to be kidding me! I swear to god, when I see them…"

I looked around the room and everyone was staring at me. They seemed surprised by my reaction.

"What?"

"It's not that easy, Bella. They won't just stop. You know them; do you really think they'll listen?" Alice explained.

She had a point.

"They won't just attack with me on the other side." I tried to make the words come out confident.

My own words – 'the other side' – made me think back to a month ago. Felix told me how hard it was for everyone to stand on one side of the throne room and have to watch me on the other. I looked over to Edward and lifted my shield to show him the memory.

"_They won't attack with me on the other side_," I repeated.

"We'll see," Jasper said.

But he didn't see what I was showing Edward. I could see in his eyes that he was conflicted between was he'd been taught and what I'd shown him.

Then he kissed my forehead. "Either way, I'll protect you."

My shield snapped back into place.

Carlisle was on the phone, arranging the soonest possible flight out of Russia. He wasn't having much luck. And that was hard for a vampire, seeing as we could bribe any amount and play all the high authority cards.

"Carlisle," I said, sticking out my hand for the phone. He hung up and tossed it to me.

I dialed the familiar number and there was an answer right away. My Italian flew out a mile per minute, and I saw that it shocked the Cullens I was talking at vampire speed.

After a total of five seconds, I hung up and tossed it back to Carlisle.

"Direct flight, private plane… can we get there in 15 minutes?"

Everyone looked to Alice.

"We should just make it."

And we were off.

Private planes were so much easier – we didn't have to worry about talking about vampires, or sitting too still.

I sat beside Edward, my head resting against his shoulder. The Cullens seemed tense, but I stayed calm. I let up my shield so that at least Edward could see that I wasn't worried.

"You never cease to amaze me," he said suddenly.

I laughed, and spoke to him through my thoughts. _Why is that?_

"You just take it all with such... _grace_ – everything. We were practically shaking at the thought of what's lying ahead and you just go with it. And your mind… it's just… beautiful."

The sincerity in his words surprised me a little.

_I suppose it's just from years with the Volturi. I told you before, they're my family. They won't hurt me._

"You can't tell me they've never done anything to scare you. The whole vampire race is scared of them… especially you." He said with an underlying pride because I wasn't just a Volturi anymore, I was _his._

"You are." He nuzzled his face into my hair.

I thought I'd gotten him off the topic, but he asked again, "_Have _they ever done anything to scare you?"

My shield snapped back.

I didn't answer, and my body went tense.

"Bella; just let me protect you."

"My family is not going to hurt me... or you. You have to trust me."

"I do trust you. It's _them_ I don't trust."

I pulled my head off his shoulder, I felt shocked and offended.

"Oh, well, I'm glad you feel that way about my _family_, Edward. It really makes me happy," acid leaked straight through my voice.

I started to stand and caught Edward's arm before he caught mine.

"Bella, I'm sorry. You know I didn't mean it like that."

"I can't choose between you and my family, Edward. I won't."

He slowly pulled his arm out of my grip and put his hands on either side of my face. I tried to pull away.

"I will never, ever, make you choose Bella. I'd rather leave then see you have to choose."

"Why do you hate them?" I rushed out. "Or… _us_? Since I'm a Volturi too."

"I don't hate them. Not at all. I believe that we should enforce laws, I just don't believe in their… harsh tactics."

I laughed. "I guess we'll never agree on that… remember that day you were spying down on the throne room? We didn't exactly agree then either."

He laughed too, and I was glad to hear the sound. "I suppose we won't."

I don't really know why it was funny. It just reinforced how different we were, I guessed.

"So… what's next?" Alice asked.

I turned to look at the Cullens. They looked like they were having a conference; one that Edward and I were paying zero attention to. They werewaiting for my opinion.

"Well we have to approach this as non-threatening as possible. Which means we should drive back to the house, not run. Hopefully I'll stop them before anything too risky happens; I have to tell my dad about this whole James mess anyways," I answered.

"And… your decision?" Esme asked.

"Remains the same. He's just going to have to suck it up."

I heard the seatbelt sign ding and went to sit in my seat. We didn't exactly need the seatbelts, but the human pilot didn't know that. The plane then slowly began descending.

I insisted on driving back to the house, I remembered the way from a few days ago when Carlisle drove me here.

As I drove up to the house, to my right was a group of waiting guests.

I got out of the car and walked hand in hand with Edward to face them. The rest of the Cullens grouped together behind us.

They looked ready until I met everyone's gaze. As I looked at each of them I saw doubt in their eyes, whatever they were planning wasn't going to work so well now. I looked at everyone but my dad of course; I was too scared for that.

They were The Volturi.

My family.

_I can't do this_.

I turned, so that they were behind me, to look at Edward and grabbed his face. "I'm not leaving," I whispered so low only he could hear.

"I trust you," he whispered back.

Then I kissed him with all I could - while an audience was present - to show him I understood and that I meant what I said.

"Go," he whispered again.

I couldn't help it. I was so happy to see them again. I ran toward them with a smile on my face and was met by many pairs of arms.

When Felix's arms met me I greeted him with a, "your not ripped to pieces - that's good to see!"

He responded with, "it's good to see you still intact too, Bells." But he didn't know I almost didn't make it intact.

Jane greeted me with sudden enthusiasm. "The castle is so boring without you!" she said. She didn't know that I didn't intend to go back.

Demetri ruffled my hair and I frowned. "Good to see you, kid."

I punched him in the arm for ruffling my hair and he winced at the impact.

Alec also hugged me. "I'm glad your okay," he said. But I almost wasn't.

Others greeted me with hellos and sighs of relief that I was alright.

Then finally I came to my dad.

His red eyes were tight and his brows furrowed on his translucent skin.

"Daddy-" I was choking on my own words. My throat felt tight and I tugged on it but it didn't help. "I'm sorry." I tried to keep myself from sobbing. Even in front of my two families, I didn't want to show weakness anymore.

I took a deep breath and held out my hands. My dad caught them and I pulled my shield off. It almost felt heavier, but I knew it was just my overwhelming emotions dragging it down. I needed help.

I looked back to Jasper - only him. I didn't want to see the faces of the Cullens right now. He met my gaze and nodded.

Soon my emotions were out of the way and I gripped my dad's hands tighter. I closed my eyes, and carefully lifted my shield off.

I knew he'd be able to see all my memories but I tried my hardest to stress certain ones: overhearing the conversation, three days of just waiting, seeing the news, being in the house, seeing Edward, and finally - James.

I kept my eyes closed. Now, I didn't want to see his face.

But then he pulled me towards him and wrapped his arms around me. I squeezed him back. My shield fell.

"I'm sorry," I whispered again.

"Are you following this?"

"Nope."

I pulled away from my dad. "You should tell them, they should know. I don't want to hear it again."

"They can wait… we have more important business to attend to." There was a certain gleam in his eye – one that I recognized well.

"Dad, what are you talking about?" I asked hesitantly.

"I mean – _them._"

**A/N - I'M SORRY I'M SORRY IT'S ANOTHER CLIFFIE! **

**But reviews are much appreciated even if you hate me right now. The next chapter should be up by Wednesday and if not feel free to PM me and grill me until I get it up.**


	19. Welcome

**A/N - SURPRISE it's Tuesday and not Wednesday! I know a lot of you were a little confused at the end of the last chapter, the beginning of this chapter picks up right where we left off and hopefully it'll clear it up. **

**Disclaimer - Stephanie Meyer own Twilight... not me. You know, the usual. Also, I have not proof read this as much as usual cause I didn't feel like it. **

_Them,_ he said. This was when I made my decision… or when I was supposed to.

But I wasn't them and I wasn't us – not specifically. I was both. I was too selfish and I wasn't giving up one or the other.

I was still standing in front of my dad and my family. My second family stood yards behind me.

I felt anger bubble up inside of me. "Did you not see anything I just showed you? My _life_ was a _plan_! My parents were _killed_! You just saw my mind but it's like you don't even care!" Just like that the bubble burst and I couldn't stop talking. "It's all _you! _You and your Volturi are the reason I'm this way! James' coven planned to take you down and I was the target; my life was just a plot, and your death was supposed to be the end result!

"You trained me and raised me and in the end I saved you – but you can't spare the people that I love. It's _disgusting_." I didn't mean to say it, it just came out. The words came right out of my mouth and now they were mocking me.

Everyone just stood staring and eventually I turned away – not able to look any longer.

I looked at the Cullens. They looked torn, tired, angry.

"You should go inside," I said to them.

They listened and went into the house without a word… all but one of course.

"Edward," I said with a hard voice, "go inside."

"No."

I took a couple steps toward him. "_Go._"

"Not again," he replied.

I knew he was thinking of the last time I forced him out of my sight. My face fell. Edward took the chance to walk right by me and stop in front of my dad.

I was beside him in the next second. My hand was on his chest trying to push him back but he wasn't moving.

He held out his hand.

My dad hesitated and took it both of his.

Time seemed to move slowly. I watched Edward and my dad communicate silently with their powers. The slow time made it feel as though I was watching forever.

Then Edward took his hand back. He said one thing to my dad before going back into the house, "I trust you – with her." My eyes followed him until I couldn't see him anymore.

Without anyone else around, everyone's faces because casual. I saw the people I grew up with instead of the Volturi.

My dad looked at me; his eyes seemed almost tired. "I can't believe we didn't know about James. I'm sorry, Bella."

"Well, I can't go back and fix it. But it all brought me here; where I have everything I need to make me happy."

He sighed. "What would you choose?"

"I can't. I really can't."

"You really love each other." It wasn't a question. "There has to be some way around this…" he muttered.

He kept talking – thinking aloud. "We need you on the guard, you keep us looking strong. But you'd have my head if I even suggested Edward stay with us. And I'm not taking you from him."

This startled me. I couldn't remember how to form words. I wanted to say, _really? You're letting me stay?_

"We could always call her when we need her," Felix added.

My dad nodded. "You always said you wanted to go to school… maybe now you can."

I was aware of the huge, obnoxious smile plastered across my face but I couldn't help it… I was staying. I could be with Edward, I could go to school, I could be outside of the Castle but still see my family when they needed me. It was perfect.

Somehow I got my vocal cords to work. "I can stay? Really?"

"As long as you can be there when we need you-"

I cut him off, "I will! You can't get rid of me that easily!"

I heard footsteps behind me. "The world's deadliest vampire is going to high school?"

I turned and saw all the Cullens as a chorus of "hey!" came from the guard. I wasn't _really_ the world's deadliest vampire. It was something we fought about a lot in the castle… playfully of course.

Meanwhile, Emmett was practically falling on the ground with laughter at his comment.

"Shut up, Emmett," I said.

"Don't worry, Bella. You'll have tons of fun at school. It's always more fun the first time around," Alice assured me.

"Yeah, don't worry, Bella. I'm sure you and Edward won't get caught under the bleachers."

My eyes widened. I couldn't believe Emmett just said that in front of my _dad._ I wanted to beat him so bad. But Rosalie beat me to it and I heard her hand whip through the air and whack him on the head.

I was offended but Emmett's comment made me think of all the teenager things that I never got to do. It made me excited because not only did I get to experience it, but I got to experience it with Edward.

It wasn't exactly my ideal ending. I loved being part of the Volturi guard. I _did_ know, though, that they would call me every time we had to be out somewhere, because people couldn't know that I wasn't living in the castle anymore. I could never lose the Volturi side of me and I would never let living somewhere else ruin that.

"I guess there's just one thing left," Dad said.

They were leaving and all that was left was to say goodbye.

"Don't forget to send me my closest." I laughed.

But everyone else didn't seem to be laughing. They looked sad. It made me feel bad about leaving, but it also assured me that I'd be welcome back. They weren't upset with me – which of course could be guaranteed by my dad, who was the one letting me leave in the first place.

"C'mon, guys. I'll be back before you have the chance to miss me."

Suddenly there were many pairs of arms around me and all I could see were black cloaks.

"Too late," I heard Felix say.

"Guys, stop! I'm not leaving forever."

"Okay, get off Bella. Head back to plane, we have to get going." Anything said by my dad was considered an order, whether he said it jokingly or not. The black cloak in front of me then disappeared after a heard a last few goodbyes.

I faced my dad.

"Just promise you'll answer every time I call?" he asked.

"I promise."

I hugged him around the middle and I felt his arms squeeze around me.

"Thanks for being there, Dad – love you."

"Love you too, Bella. I'm happy to have been there. The Cullens are good for you."

"We'll take care of her, Aro," Esme assured him.

I pulled away, and found Edward right beside me. My dad sighed.

There was a long moment of silence as Edward and Dad stared at each other.

Finally, my dad spoke, "I trust you with her." Then they shook hands and he left.

"What- what did you show him?" I stuttered out. I was surprised how he changed his mind so quickly. I knew he liked Edward, but after what happened, I didn't think he would respect him anymore.

My dad claimed he had to deal with the Cullens, and whatever Edward showed him, certainly changed his mind.

"Just what you couldn't," he responded simply.

"Thank you." I smiled up at him. He kissed me on the forehead and then stepped away. I frowned when he didn't kiss me properly.

Just as he stepped away Alice came to stand in front of me. "Since it may take a while for your stuff to get here, Rosalie and I are taking you shopping!"

I groaned and Edward laughed. "You little sneak."

"Welcome to the Cullen house," he replied.

**A/N - Short chapter... last chapter. well not exactly. There will still be an epilogue and I'll also post the huge amount of outtakes that I've saved up since there was some interest in that. After the epilogue I'll also have my playlist of son****gs that helped me write this story. **

**And REVIEW! **


	20. Epilogue

**A/N - Welcome to the last chapter... well sort of, I'll still be posting outtakes! i'll also have my playlist at the end of this chapter.**

**Disclaimer - Of course, I don't own Twilight (although I wish I did). All credit goes to Stephanie Meyer for these lovely characters.**

"Bella, it'll be fine." Edward put his hand in mine as he sped down the road.

"Yeah, I'm sure. Going to school in the middle of the year – I'll be fine."

"At least you have at least one of us in each of your classes," Alice piped up from the back seat.

It was true; Trigonometry with Edward, World History with Jasper, Biology with Edward, and then Gym with Alice.

"I guess."

Edward squeezed my hand as we pulled into the parking lot, kids stared as he parked.

"You've been missing for a while, Edward," Alice noted. That's why they were staring.

"Oh they'll be staring for a different reason in a second; I'm your newest adoption," I cracked a smile.

I was flattered that my cover story was the Cullen's newest adopted child. I didn't really expect it. I was registered at the school under my newly found human last name, Rossi. My dad dug it up when they got home because we actually knew what happened to my parents. I figured if I registered under Cullen, that it would look too weird with Edward and I together.

Plus, I wanted Edward to ask me to take that name himself, and I had a feeling it wouldn't be for a while anyways. Our relationship moved fast at first, and even though we couldn't get enough of each other, we've taken it back to basics since I've been in Forks.

I wanted to wait another week before going to school so that we could get everything in order. I hadn't gotten a call – just one email – from Volterra since I'd left and was secretly waiting for them to need me. Forks was awesome, but I missed running around and enforcing rules. Edward insisted on staying home with me to help get settled and refused to go to school until I did.

I waited for Edward to come around and open my door for me. I may be living as a Cullen now, but I still had the attitude of a Volutri, and I saw the way these human girls looked at Edward – I was going to rub it in.

I took his hand and smirked at all the stares I felt on me. I was about to rub it in a little more, but he leaned in and kissed me first. He was _mine_, and I was _his_.

"What was that for?" I asked after he pulled away and shut the door.

"Just putting some human boys in their place," he replied.

We kept our hands linked and started walking toward the buildings. The school consisted of four, and each building had its number clearly marked on the outside.

"What are they thinking?" I asked.

"They're mostly just wondering who you are, and why we're together of course."

"Do they always stare or is that just because of me?"

"Once they get used to you it won't be so bad."

I ran through my schedule in my head again.

"So, how does gym work again?" I asked Edward.

He laughed. "Just go at a human pace; Alice will help you out."

We walked into the first building and Edward led me into the office.

I already had my schedule, but I needed a note saying I transferred – from a school that didn't exist of course.

In the office a women in her late forty's sat behind the desk. Her nameplate said .

"Mrs. Cope?" I asked, giving her the copy of my transfer.

She took the paper and gave me a note. "Here you go, dear. Just get each of your teachers to sign this and bring it back at the end of the day."

"Thank you."

Then she looked at Edward standing behind me. "Edward, I think it's so great that your parents are still adopting." She looked up at him through her glasses.

He scrunched up his face. "Yes, they're very caring people."

She laughed and fluttered her eyelashes… I didn't like it. She was not only flirting with someone thirty years younger, but she was flirting with _my_ boyfriend.

I squeezed Edward's hand hard. He let go and wrapped his hand around my waist.

"We better get going," he said, leading me out the office.

I scoffed after the door shut behind us. "Was she serious?"

"Unfortunately. Little does she know I'm old enough to be her great grandfather…"

"Technically, _I'm_ old enough to be _your_ grandmother.

"I guess I can't blame her, or any of these girls," I added as I saw a couple girls glancing at Edward and giggle. I didn't like it, but we were vampires, they couldn't help it.

"You're too nice. At least you can't hear the thoughts of a hundred teenage boys."

I laughed. "I wouldn't worry too much about it. It's not like I'm gonna fall in love with a human or something."

He laughed too.

The rest of the day went by easily. Being the 'new girl' wasn't so bad when you had the Cullens. I was surprised that they all sat by themselves in our classes. It made it easy for the teacher to give me a spot, though.

I learned at lunch that the Cullens, although living amongst humans, were isolated. But _they_ weren't the ones isolating themselves, it was the humans.

When I asked Edward about it he explained, "Our looks are what make them attracted to us – we've already covered that. But their instincts tell them to keep a distance. They don't even know why they should stay away; it's just their instincts telling them to."

When we got home I slumped onto the couch. Edward sat beside me with my feet in his lap.

"Is it weird that I'm exhausted?" I said, sighing.

"Well I can tell you that my head is exhausted."

"Why's that."

'You're new; I have to pay attention to rumors… suspicions. There were quite a lot today."

"Like what?"

"The most popular rumor seemed to be that you've been hopping from foster homes your whole life and when my family went on vacation to Europe we met and I asked my parents to adopt you."

"That's elaborate… and almost accurate."

He chuckled. "I was surprised too."

I heard a faint little ring and recognized it as my cell phone.

It barely got through the first ring before I answered, "Hello."

"Hi, Bells."

"Dad! Finally! What are you doing; going on killing sprees without me? How's the castle? How is everyone? Is the guard okay? Do you need me to come up?" I spit out all the words so fast, even Edward looked confused.

I heard him laugh. "Everyone is fine over here, we don't need you yet. It's been pretty quiet the last week. How's school?" He asked it with a detached voice, like he had something else to say, but was just getting small talk out of the way first.

"School's good… what do you need to tell me?"

"I guess I can't get anything past you," he sighed. "I really was going to tell you, you deserve to know. Don't freak out, there's no problem just information on James."

I looked up at Edward and removed my shield. He flashed up the stairs and back down in two seconds with the Cullens as I put the phone on speaker.

"Go ahead, you're on speaker."

"We found Laurent and he explained it. Laurent left the coven about a hundred years ago. But he could tell us that either they fought so much they ended up killing each other, or we killed most of them for committing a crime to get to you."

Once he said this Edward was right beside me with his arm around my waist.

"So they're all dead?" I asked.

"Exactly. Except for Laurent, who we decided to let go. It seemed like James was the one to come up with the whole idea and Laurent was barely around. He's decided to go live with the Denali's and try a hand at a vegetarian lifestyle."

I exhaled with relief. I was glad they were all dead.

"You have no idea how glad I am, Dad. Thanks for letting me know."

"I didn't want you worrying about it."

Then I shut speaker off and pulled away from Edward. I went through the back door and stood on the porch.

"Did you find it?" I asked.

"Well… your human name is pretty common. Practically half of Italy's population has the last name Rossi. It took a while, but I found it. Your parents are buried just outside of Volterra. I wasn't sure when you wanted to come up."

"I don't want to yet, it's just good to know."

There was a crash in the background.

"I have to go," he rushed out.

"Wait, what? What was that?" There was always something going on in the castle, I wondered what it was this time.

"They miss you, I'm letting limbs fly."

I should've been worried, but I was really just jealous that I was missing 'conditioning'.

"Tell them I miss them too. Bye Dad."

"See you around, Bells."

The line went dead and I hung up.

"You wanna go somewhere?" Edward asked from behind me.

I turned to face him.

"I'll race you," he added with a smirk.

"You're on. Where to?"

"About five miles north."

I took off north without waiting for Edward, and heard a "that's not fair!" behind me.

I laughed, but in five seconds flat he passed me and I tried pushing my legs harder to catch up to him. I kept my eyes on Edward and started to catch up but then he disappeared with a flash.

I came to a halt and found a beaming meadow in front of me. When I stepped into the clearing my skin glowed along with wildflowers that filled the space. It wasn't sunny in town, but it sure was here. Somewhere nearby, I could hear a stream.

Suddenly, a familiar pair of arms snaked around my waist from behind me. Lips grazed against my neck.

"I found this place a few years ago. Around when we first moved to Forks, actually. I like to run up here just to think. After today, I wanted to share it with you," Edward told me.

"It's beautiful," I whispered.

"Not compared to you," he whispered back.

His arms stayed around my waist and his hand hitched under my shirt as I turned around to face him. His skin glowed with the same amount of radiance as mine.

Our lips met and he kissed me so passionately all I could do was return it. I felt as though I was falling until my back hit something hard and I realized I _had_ been falling.

This kiss broke with our laughter.

"I love you," I said looking up at him.

He smiled crookedly. "I love you too, Bella. More than anyone has ever loved anything."

"I'd beg to differ," I countered before kissing him again.

And I supposed that my life would never be completely perfect. My past made that happen. But right there, in the meadow with Edward, was all I needed at the moment.

**A/N - *sniff sniff* yes, it's over. I've not yet started (or started planning) the sequel, but one day it'll be up! In the meantime, I'll also be posting outtakes to this story (probably tomorrow or sometime very soon) and if you follow me, you can see the one-shots I decide to post and write; I still need an outlet for all my Twilight ideas! Also, I thought some of you would like to know the songs I listened to while working on Ignite:  
**

**Bleeding Out - Imagine Dragons**  
**Beautiful - Carly Rae Jepsen**  
**Chasing Cars - Snow Patrol**  
**Fix You - Coldplay**  
**Gone, Gone, Gone - Phillip Phillips**  
**Hold on - Phillip Phillips**  
**Next 2 You - Chris Brown**  
**A Thousand Years - Christina Perri (obviously)**  
**Wonderwall - Oasis**  
**Yellow - Coldplay**  
**Yellow Raincoat - Justin Bieber**

**Thank you SO SO SO much for all your support on this story; I had so much fun writing for you guys! Thank you for reviewing, favouriting and following! Watch out for outtakes soon and I'll post the last stats for the story with it. You guys are awesome! **


	21. Outtakes

**A/N = bold text**

**So here we are; just the outtakes left. There's actually quite a bit so I hope that's alright. They're basically things that I wrote but didn't really fit into the mood of the story, there's also a whole chapter in EPOV that I took out. Before each outtake I also explain where in the story it takes place. So, enjoy! Also DISCLAIMER: THIS WAS NOT PROOF READ, they're just outtakes so I figured it wasn't a huge deal.**

**Can we talk for a minute about how it's really hard to write Aro as a nice character? So to get my fix, I'm titling this as an outtake from Ignite. This takes place after Bella and Edward get back from Bella hunting animals for the first time. **

We got back to the castle and I noticed none of the guard was around.

"Where did everyone go?" I asked.

I felt Edward stiffen at my side. "I think you should check the throne room."

I ran as fast as I could down to the throne room, leaving Edward behind, and opened the doors to find them cleaning up from feeding.

"What the hell, Dad?!"

"Bella, how lovely of you to join us. But I'm afraid we didn't save you any," he said not looking up.

"I'm not hungry anyways."

He finally turned to look up at me, and was taken aback by my new eye colour, "Well... I see then."

"I thought we were respecting the Cullens this week."

"Well you, dear daughter, are taking that a little too far. You don't have to feed on animals for their sake. I can get Heidi to fetch someone for you."

"I'm not doing it for their sake. I'm doing it for my own."

"And Edward?"

"What are you-"

"Don't think Marcus couldn't sense your bond the first day the Cullens arrived. I know you two are mates. But my real question is; did Edward make you do this?" He looked furious... like he could kill. And I would never let him do that to Edward.

"He gave me a choice dad, and _I_ wanted to try."

"Well he didn't have the permission."

He raised his hand slightly and Demetri and Felix left the room only to come back with Edward.

"Let him go," I said through my teeth. "Dad, why are you doing this?"

"Last time I checked, Bella has her own life." Edward spoke up.

I turned to glare at him. "Edward," I said lowly, "no."

"Aro, I can assure you that animal blood does nothing but change your eye colour."

"I can't be to sure of that, Edward." Dad started towards him. "It also decreases the fear that takes place in my guard. And I cannot let that happen."

In one swift motion, Felix and Demetri let go of Edward and Dad had a grip around his neck.

"DAD, STOP!" I yelled. "What are you trying to do?! Take away the happiness I haven't felt in years?!"

Anger boiled up inside me. "All I wanted to do was get rid of the grudge I held against my real parents for almost two hundred years! I wanted to know what it could be like to not hate them so much."

I knew it surprised everyone to hear me talk about my real parents. We'd never discussed it or brought it up because it had made me rage so much as a newborn. "Edward, helps me forgive, Dad. And if you hurt one inch of him, something I could never do, is forgive you."

He slowly let go of Edward and I stalked toward them and grabbed Edward's hand. I dragged him out of the throne room and called back behind me. "I'm not leaving the castle. Don't even think about following me."

**Here's an outtake at Bella's birthday party with the Denali's. I find it really hard writing between all the difficult timelines. I have ideas that I want to use but because of when a character is born, I can't actually use it. Looking at it now, this wouldn't have really worked anyways and I enjoy that lighter scene that went into the story instead. You probably have no idea what I mean, so just go ahead an read it.**

We danced a little longer until I decided to mingle a little bit. I pulled Edward off the dance area to greet the Irish Coven, but he started pulling me to the Denali's first.

Halfway there I stopped him, "Edward I don't think that's such a good idea."

He looked disappointed. "They're like family, Bella. I want to introduce you."

"I know who they are, Edward. I've met them before."

I remembered to a long time ago, when I had first joined the guard. It was when the problem of immortal children first arose. It was an initiation of sorts; I had the honour of ripping off their coven leaders head. They screamed at their beheaded mother in the fire afterwards; which made me feel the opposite of sorry. I was just ending my newborn stage, but the ache of my mother was still there. I'd threatened to kill them also if they didn't stop drawing attention.

At the time, I guess they were feeding off animal blood, but I didn't notice.

"What are you talking about Bella?"

"I- I…" I started tripping over words to tell him. He didn't know their leader, he hadn't been born yet. But I didn't know how it would affect him. So I said low, and carefully, "I'm the one that…killed their…mother."

Panic was written all over his face. I waited as it smoothed to understanding.

"Bella, I hardly think they're that troubled. I doubt they would pull any stunts here. Please, just let me introduce you."

I hesitated; I really didn't think it was a good idea. But he dragged me over anyways. I put on a presentable face. I'd never been in this situation before. How does one greet someone they saw over one hundred years ago after they killed their mother?

As we approached them, they looked at me quizzically.

"Tayna, Irina, Kate, Carmen, Eleazer. I'd like you to meet my mate, Bella."

I smiled at them. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

Carmen and Eleazer shook my hand first, then Tayna and Irina as they looked at me strangely.

"You look really familiar," Tayna commented. I just shrugged my shoulders, trying to avoid the topic.

As I grabbed Kate's hand to shake it, I started to let Edward through my shield to tell him it was going better than I thought, but I'd accidently let in a different power.

Kate's.

I dropped to the floor in agony as Kate gripped my hand harder; shooting electrical volts through my entire body. I screamed the loudest I'd ever had and heard the room go silent.

In the same second Kate gripped my arm and threw me across the ballroom, and I crashed into a wide mirror on the wall. I laid on the floor, shaking, still in shock from the volts that had subsided.

I looked up to see that Felix had a death grip on Kate and Dad was holding a hand up at Jane so she wouldn't use her power. Edward was at my side, making sure I was okay. He started rubbing my back, trying to stop the shock.

As I started coming back to reality from the shock, I heard my dad trying to settle down the room. All I saw was red as I looked over at Kate in Felix's grip.

I slowly got up from the shattered glass around me, brushing myself off. Then I ran as fast as I could towards Kate. I yanked her out of Felix's grip and forced her into the floor. I was fixing to rip off a leg when I felt two sets of arms pulling me off.

As I was pulled back, she slowly stood up, and I yelled, "She attacked me! Let me go!"

Then she yelled back, "You deserve that for killing my mother!"

"SHE DESERVED TO BE KILLED! Who creates an immortal child?! No one anymore; it's a law! Because creating an immortal child IS A STUPID THING TO DO!" I yelled back.

My dad cut in then, "I suggest that if you cannot control yourself, you should not have come." He spoke to not just Kate, but the Denali's. "Jane, please show them out."

**I wrote this chapter that was just supposed to be filler, but then I started writing more about the plot and it became significant. So I had to cut out all the fillers. I thought you guys may be interested in it, but it's nothing special.**

BPOV

The night was clear. I could count all the stars and name all the constellations. The sound of people still out in Volterra at two o'clock am was perceptible from the roof top garden. It had rained a lot lately and I suspected this was the humans getting their fix.

The brightest constellation out tonight was Cygnus. Cygnus was Latin for Swan. My favourite story behind it was that the great musician, Orpheus was murdered by the Thracian women for not honouring Bacchus. Upon his death, he was transformed into a swan and placed in the heavens next to his harp; represented by the constellation Lyra.

The one thing I truly remembered of my human life was stars. The story of constellation Orion seemed to be my favourite then. Probably because it was so big and bright.

This is what gave me hope. The hope that Edward was safe, at home with his family, looking up at the same sky.

EPOV

At night, everything in me would melt away as I counted all the stars in the sky over and over until they disappeared. I couldn't help but recognize that Bella might be looking at the same night sky.

It was like all the stars in the heavens were put there for us. It was the one form of communication we had while we were on two opposite sides of the world.

**This was originally a whole chapter of Edward POV. It basically shows how James kidnapped Edward and everything that went on, on his side of the world after he left Bella in Volterra. I realize that I never actually filled everyone in on how James got Edward so easily, and this says why, but if you had other ideas, you may keep them. I was actually about to post it, and then decided it was best to keep everyone guessing. **

EPOV

The rain seemed to follow us home. It was the only thing my mind took time to notice.

My heart was back in Volterra, Italy.

When we arrived home, Esme made us all sit in the living room. Although I saw in her thoughts this family meeting was for me.

I should have suspected something when everyone's minds were suddenly blocked from me in the court yard. Bella didn't want them to slip before she could say anything. Once she removed her shield everyone's thoughts came pouring into my mind. I felt like they were paralyzing me. Emmett and Rosalie seemed to know, what she was doing, but no one else had any thoughts of knowing.

Esme had been blocking her thoughts since after the party by translating the Human Rights Act into Polish. I didn't even know Esme knew Polish.

I figured something was up with her and was antsy for her to tell me whatever she was hiding. I knew it had to be about Bella. Esme was the one on that balcony with her at the party.

"I thought that everyone might want to know that Bella informed me she'd be back one day." Esme spoke up after we'd all been sitting in silence.

She slowly stopped blocking her thoughts as she voiced them. "She told me that, with her on the guard, we're all in danger. Someone's been threatening them lately, and she'll contact us after they've been dealt with."

Esme let on that was all she knew. But I knew it wasn't. She still seemed to be blocking one piece of information.

Someone was _threatening_ the Volturi. If we could be in danger that meant Bella, _my_ Bella, was in danger too.

"Why didn't she tell me? How could I have just left? I should have stayed to keep her safe!" I was no longer sitting on the sofa, I was up on my feet, pacing around our living room.

Esme was still hiding something from me in her mind.

"Esme, please tell me what you're hiding! I can't take this, what do you know?" I restrained myself from getting up in her face.

"It's nothing you need to know, Edward."

"Then I'm going back to find out!"

I bolted toward the door only to be thrown back by Emmett.

I knew my family wouldn't let me leave, but I would still try. I had to get back to her; she was more in danger there than I was here.

I got up off the floor and started towards the door again. But Emmett had me by the throat before I was even close to the door.

_Don't let him do anything reckless and if he tries, threaten him with whatever you need to. I need to do that for me, okay? It's the only way to keep him safe._

Bella's voice came through his thoughts. She asked him to makes sure I didn't come back. He thought of the pain on her face as she told him this.

"Edward, you know you can't go back. Bella wants you to stay with us until this is all over. You can't go back." Emmett was right in front of me, thinking of his conversation with Bella to back up his words.

He let me go, and then Esme was guiding me up the stairs to my room on the third floor.

Just before she shut the door she gave me a sad look, "I'm sorry, but we're all just going to have to wait."

And wait I did.

The days went by slowly.

Esme still hadn't slipped on who was had been threatening the Volturi. And I still hadn't given up on going back to Volterra. My family was watching me like a hawk, I couldn't get close to the treaty line before they caught me.

School wasn't a big enough distraction. I wasn't being forced to go, but the problem with living so close to humans is that you have to keep up appearances.

One day I sat at my piano to distract myself. But the music that came out of my fingertips reminded me too much of the time I'd spent with Bella, and I had to stop.

Running through the forest and taking high speed drives to Seattle didn't help either. All they did was leave me alone to my thoughts of how Bella was, and if she was being safe.

After almost a month I had a weird feeling of someone watching me. Especially during school.

I'd gone to Alice to see if she might have seen something unusual. But her visions were slowly becoming all foggy, no matter what she was looking at. I began searching myself through the minds of others, but there was nothing. No thought out of place, no new people in the small town of Forks.

It was all very odd. Carlisle told me he'd be on the lookout also, but I wasn't entirely convinced he was taking me seriously. After returning home silently one night, I'd learned my family was simply playing along and were only worried for my sanity. Carlisle even wondered if he should call the Volturi and see hoe Bella was doing, just to get her to come back for me.

But I wasn't crazy; someone was watching me and my family. Alice claimed she just hadn't been paying close enough attention, but I had a feeling someone, somewhere was controlling the strings on a well built puppet.

At four and a half weeks of being back in Forks, something was different.

There _was_ a mind out of place. A 'voice' that I didn't recognize.

They hid their thoughts all day, thinking as a normal teenager in school. But they were coming from the forest.

Two could play at that game.

I didn't do anything about it all day, but listen. I sat through my classes and lunch without telling my family or running off to the forest to find out who it was. I just listened.

Until their thoughts changed.

On my way to biology – the only class without one of my siblings – I heard one word that could make me do anything, _Bella._

The thoughts went on as I slowed my pace to building 4.

_I'm surprised Bella hasn't caved yet, Edward. She's been so worried for your safety. She's one of the most powerful vampires on this planet, but threaten her mate and she does whatever you want. _

I made my way right past the last building on the school and straight into the forest without anyone noticing. All I had planned was that I'd be coming back, that way Alice wouldn't think I was making a great escape to Volterra… again.

_It's a shame she left you alone, it just makes my job that much easier._

I kept following the thoughts deeper into the woods until I was almost at the treaty line.

That when I finally decided to speak up.

"Who are you?!" I yelled out.

A figure blurred across my vision and then I heard a familiar voice behind, "Guess," he sneered.

I'd know that voice anywhere. He'd crashed Bella's birthday party a month ago.

"James," I sneered back. I quickly turned around into a crouch to attack him, but he beat me to it.

I was thrown into a tree that cracked in half beneath me. I struggled to get back up; thanks to the lack of blood in my system – I hadn't fed in over two weeks.

Soon he was on top of me. He picked up my shoulders just to ram me back into the ground. I tried to fight back, but I was too weak.

Finally, he stopped.

"You might want to come with me, if you want to keep little Isabella Volturi safe."

He had her. He had Bella.

My first reaction was to go with him, what other option did I really have?

My weak body got up off the ground and I followed at a slower pace than usual. I wished now more than ever that I hadn't neglected to hunt in over two weeks. I would've followed James anyways, because I'd do anything to make sure Bella was safe… even if the cost was my life.

**This scene takes place on the way back to Forks after getting Edward back. This was the initial scene I wrote but then I decided to add the tension a bit… to maybe foreshadow a few things later on in the story. I don't always outline things to a T and this was one of those circumstances. After writing what actually happens in the story it helped me set up what would happen later. **

"You can't tell me they've never done anything to scare you. The whole vampire race is scared of them… you especially." He said with an underlying pride because I wasn't just a Volturi anymore, I was _his._

"You are." He nuzzled his face into my hair.

I thought I'd gotten him off the topic, but he asked again, "_Have _they ever done anything to scare you?"

I ran through my memories like a cabinet full of folders with records of my life.

One memory stood out… not the most, but it stood out. And I showed Edward the night Alec found me.

It was a _very_ dim and almost muddy memory… one that I only remembered bits of.

It was cold, my arms wrapped around my small legs and I shivered to stay warm.

Suddenly a figure appeared in front of me, I wasn't scared until I saw his bright red eyes.

I trembled even more with fear.

"It doesn't work…" he whispered. "How is that possible?"

I tried to curl away from him but I was shivering too hard. A whimper escaped my lips.

"Don't worry, I'm not going to hurt you… not now."

All I could remember next was a hand leading me down dark and cold hallways. And then warm light and a blanket around me.

They didn't try to keep their voices low, I heard every word.

"There only two choices now."

"Yes, we either keep her… or have her for dinner."

This made me tremble more – who were these red-eyed creatures?

"A talent in vampire life is just too promising, we cannot kill her."

"What about her human life?"

"What about our own immortal children laws?"

"She was freezing on the street; I don't think she has much of a human life."

"Aro! Are you not paying attention? She's far too young to be changed. There will be rage everywhere if we go against our own laws!"

"I understand, Caius. I suppose… we just keep her until she is at the proper age."

Then I was running. I was scared for my life, I didn't know what these creatures would do to me. I didn't know where I was running or who I would go to, but I wanted out of this place.

I didn't even make it two steps before there was someone to stop me.

His eyes were almost a milky red, and his skin looked translucent.

My body shook as he crouched to become the same height as me.

"We're not going to hurt you little one. My name is Aro, what's yours?" It was the same man who I heard speaking before, but his voice was softer and calming.

And just like that, just with one change in the tone of his voice, I didn't feel so scared anymore.

My shield snapped back, and we were brought back to present day.

"I believe you," was all Edward said.

**That is all! I'll definitely miss this story, which is one of the reasons I've been mentioning a sequel. Let me know if you'd be interested in one! I don't know when a sequel will happen (I guess it depends on the demand for one), but I'd like to get it started (aka a couple of chapters) and have a good outline before I start posting it. In the meantime, you're welcome to follow me and get updates on one shot I post and also when I do post a sequel.**

**THANKS AGAIN for being amazing readers! Here the last of the stats:**

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	22. Radiate (sequel) Teaser

**Hello all! It's been a while since we've been here! I'n order to prove that I _have_ been working on a sequel here's a teaser! I've been working on it for a while but due to finals, the first chapter won't be up until the end of June so I can keep posting consistent and work out all the kinks! Since my last one shot, I've actually added more plot to my outline for Radiate (the sequel if you didn't know) so it's going to be longer than I expected and I had to go back and put a little foreshadowing in it. I have a lot of twist and turns planned for you, so get excited for the end of June! I seriously wish I could put it up sooner but I don't want to keep everyone waiting for the next chapter (and have it be like two weeks without one) so i have to wait until I'm done school! **

**phew! Let's get to the teaser! **

**oh yeah, this thing: Disclaimer - The Twilight Saga belongs to SM, I just borrow it sometimes! **

"Edward!" I squealed. His mouth continued its path up my neck and eventually made it to my lips. I couldn't help but kiss him back playfully.

Edward had me trapped underneath him on our bed. We were going to be late for school.

My first day had been utterly boring and mentally exhausting. But unlike the Cullens who grew bored of school over time, I grew to enjoy it more. I'd been to Volterra at least once a month since living in Forks, and coming back and going to school was the right amount of boring I needed.

"No – no Edward. We have to go," I mumbled against his lips.

"Two minutes, Bella?" He was trying to distract me my kissing me deeply again, but I didn't let it happen… even though I wanted to grant him his two more minutes, we had somewhere to be.

I grabbed his face between my hands to stop him. "Come on, we have to go." I took advantage of his stillness and stuck out from underneath him to the other side of the room.

I laughed as I watched him fall face first onto the bed.

"I still don't understand why you enjoy going so much." He got up and straightened out his shirt.

"Because it's the only thing close to normal I ever get," I replied and started smoothing out his hair; which was ruffled, courtesy of my hands.

"The most feared vampire in the world – going to high school with a bunch of humans. Yes, that sounds very normal to me." He smirked.

I wacked my hand against his chest. "Shut up!"

"Let's go!" I heard Alice yell two floors down.

I grabbed Edward hand and dragged him downstairs.

"Come on, Eddie. She's been back for a week," Emmett commented.

He growled as Esme walked in.

"I don't need another stair broken, and I believe you have somewhere to be."

"Yes, we do. Let's go!" Alice said. I had a feeling Alice and I were the only ones taking school seriously anymore.

We were almost done our junior year of high school. Of course, I already missed a lot of the past six months from being in Volterra. I could tell everyone was getting bored.

Edward held my hand, as usual, as we drove to school. Alice and Jasper went with Rosalie and Emmett, which was unusual.

His hand suddenly tightened around mine.

"Edward?"

He hesitated, and then asked, "When do you think you'll have to leave again?"

I sighed. "I don't know."

"I hate it."

"I do too."

"You know-"

"No," I cut him off. "How many times have we talked about this? There's no compromise. You're not coming."

His hand tightened more. "What if there comes a day when you leave and never come back?"

"I can take care of myself. The day doesn't exist."

He was silent and suddenly needed two hands to drive. "As horrible as this may sound; me losing you is a lot worse."

'Why would you say that?"

"Because it's true. You have a family to fall back on. A family that needs you. I'm easily replaceable."

"Not to me. Never say that again. You _are_ the most important thing in my life. The only thing that makes my life worth living." He said this sincerely, but there was still a hard edge to his voice.

This wasn't the first time we had this conversation. It happened as often as I left. It was unfortunately easy for us to turn around our moods in a matter of minutes and was especially easy when Jasper wasn't around.

It put somewhat of a strain on our relationship, but it was hard to stay mad when we knew I'd soon have to leave again.

Maybe he didn't see how much I hated being away from him. No, he only saw how happy I was to travel and be with my other family. I wasn't sure when it would all come to an end. Perhaps it never would and I would have to live forever, torn between what I love and who I love.

"Will this ever make sense?" I asked to no one.

Edward sighed. "I don't know."

"Edward, my life didn't make sense before you came along. I didn't know who I was. You have to understand that I can't risk your life, so mine will be better. I won't do it."

The car slowed down as we approached the school.

"What do you say to playing hookie today?" Edward asked. Before I could answer the car speed up again, and the school flashed by.

"I don't have a choice now," I said, waving a hand at the school behind us.

"No, I'd go back if you really wanted me to."

He smiled a crooked smile.

"I guess I don't mind… will Alice be angry?" I asked, remembering how she and I were the only reason we still went.

"I suppose we'll find out later."

His hand found mine again, and I felt my body sink into the leather seats. He lifted my hand in his and kissed the back of it.

I didn't question where we were going. I already knew we were headed to the meadow. It was the only place we could be truly alone.

I lifted my shield. There was no hiding anything now. Edward knew I liked being with the Volturi, but he knew that I loved being with him even more.

_I'm sorry_, I spoke through my thoughts.

"I understand," he replied.

My shield snapped back. I didn't want him to see that I was almost hurt by his reply. There was no forgiveness, only understanding. I knew I wasn't going to get it – we all had our own selfish desires. Mine was that he'd always wait. His was that I'd always stay.

Two opposites were what we'd always be.

Once we made it to the edge of the forest, I chased Edward to the clearing. As we came to its edge, a speed up and jumped on his back.

"Gotcha," I whispered in his ear before kissing his neck and jumping back down.

He didn't react to my playful gesture; he just sat in the field and closed his eyes. I sat in front of him and traced patterns on his hands.

"Do you believe absence makes the heart grow fonder?" He suddenly asked.

I looked up at him to find his eyes open; looking at me with curiosity.

"Would it be driving a wedge between us if it didn't?" I answered honestly. "I mean – all we can do is miss each other when I leave."

I looked back down to his hands and was suddenly nervous. Had I been too honest? Would this make it worse?

"Maybe I could go with you next time?" This had to be the fifth time he suggested it.

"All we'll do is worry about each other if something dramatic enough happens…I don't want that. It's surprisingly a coincidence that most of the guard doesn't have mates."

"You could teach me… then you wouldn't have to worry," he said very quietly; I almost didn't hear it.

"Wouldn't you still be worrying about me?" I countered.

"I heard somewhere that you can take care of yourself." He smirked.

"You really want to learn from me? Are you sure?"

"I think the world's most powerful vampire can handle it."

I smiled back at him. "You guys _really_ need to stop referring to me as that."

"Is that a yes?" He sounded hopeful.

I looked at him for a while before answering. "How about – I'll train you but that doesn't mean you're coming next time?"

I guessed he was okay with the answer because in one second he was on top of me and I threw him across the meadow.

He landed in a crouch and I leaned into one.

"Don't hold back, Cullen."

"Never, Volturi."

We fought for a while and I gave him a couple of tips, but then he started asking details.

"Does it come down to a fight a lot?" He asked.

"Hardly, it's a rumor that we only visit to destroy. Most of the time, we don't even visit because of a crime, we do it just to check up on people."

"What if someone does something threatening when you're checking up?"

"We see a lot of things as threatening, but that doesn't mean we take it seriously. We will amp up our eye on them …" I trailed off as Edward started to stare at something behind me.

I turned around slowly to find the sky bursting with shades of pink and orange. My skin glowed with the sunset I saw through a space in the trees.

I'd never seen a sunset so beautiful in all my years.

I felt Edward arms wrap around my waist and his lips against my ear. I swiftly turned around to face him and locked my mouth with his. The passion overwhelmed me and sent my hands into his hair as his arms continued to tighten and pull me closer against him.

I wasn't sure how much time had passed, but eventually I pulled away.

"We should go back," I said breathlessly.

He pecked my forehead and we ran off back to the house.

When I got home I heard my phone ringing and realized that I left it home all day.

I quickly went over to it. The caller ID told me it was my dad; there was about ten missed calls.

"Hello?"

"Hello, Bella," his voice came through the phone. He sounded odd… almost tired.

"What's wrong?" I asked. I felt myself starting to panic.

"I'll tell you when you get here. But we are currently in a state of emergency. How fast can you get down? I arranged everything for you, just go straight to the landing strip."

"Dad, what going on?" As I asked this, I turned to look at Edward but he was talking to Alice. Thanks to their powers, I wasn't exactly sure what they were talking about.

"I can't tell you right now. You need to get over here."

"Okay. I'm on my way." I kept my eyes on Edward as I said this and hung up.

I didn't have time to think about how much I didn't want to leave; I was too panicked about whatever was going on in Volterra.

"Edward, I have to leave." There was no way to say it nicely, I'd learned.

"I heard," he sighed dramatically. I didn't need to read minds to know what he was thinking.

"Edward-"

"It wouldn't be so bad if I could go, you know."

"Did you not hear that? Emergency. As in; dangerous, and I don't have time to fight with you about this."

I was in a hurry. I went to the stairs but he blocked my path. "Edward…"

"Would you two stop fighting?" I heard Alice say from behind me.

I turned towards her. "Alice, I'm not putting your brother in danger like that."

"Don't you always complain that Edward thinks you can't take care of yourself? He can take care of himself too." I couldn't believe Alice was saying this. My jaw dropped. "What if I told you I don't see anything happening?"

I hesitated.

"Too bad, I already know what you're going to say." She turned me around and started pushing me up the stairs. "Just let him go."

I sighed; there was no fighting with Alice, so I said, "I still don't like it."

**A/N Hope you enjoyed! Review and let me know your predictions for the sequel, Radiate. I'd love to hear (or read) what you have to say! ****This is just a first part of Chapter one, some of the chapter for Radiate will be super long, and some pretty short. This one is kind of in between (but it's not all of it!).** And get excited, cause I am! 


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